Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham announced Wednesday that the Texas General Land Office is partnering with Texas A&M University and the Texas Farm Bureau to help prospective farmers and ranchers gain training, mentorship, and potential access to state land.
The partnership calls for the GLO to identify suitable state property while Texas A&M and the Farm Bureau help connect the next generation of agricultural producers with practical instruction and experienced mentors. The effort may also give participants a pathway toward securing farming or ranching leases.
“Food security is national security, and that security starts with making sure we have the people and the land needed to produce the food our families depend on,” Buckingham said in the GLO release. “The number of farms in America is declining, our agricultural workforce is getting older, and we must prepare today for who will feed Texas tomorrow.”
Federal agriculture data support the demographic concerns behind the initiative. The U.S. Department of Agriculture found 1.9 million farms and ranches in its 2022 Census of Agriculture, down 7% from 2017. The average U.S. producer was 58.1 years old. Texas agriculture data place the average age of the state’s farmers and ranchers at about 60.
The GLO manages more than 13 million acres of state land, including property leased for grazing and farming. Revenue from the agency’s management of state lands contributes to the Permanent School Fund, which supports Texas public education.
Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening said the organization welcomed the effort.
“Helping the next generation enter agriculture is critical to the future of farming, ranching and rural communities across Texas, and we appreciate the Commissioner’s leadership in bringing partners together to explore new opportunities,” he said in the news release.
The partnership expands Buckingham’s Texas Engine initiative, which The Dallas Express previously reported focuses on energy, natural resources, manufacturing, agriculture and conservation. The GLO said the new working group will also explore additional ways to open state land to producers while generating money for the Permanent School Fund.
Texas A&M is expected to contribute agricultural research, education, and extension expertise. The Farm Bureau will help distribute information about upcoming GLO land leases to its members, according to the agency.
