United States Department of Agriculture

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed it issued a waiver on Oct. 2 suspending New Mexico's Water Code to secure groundwater for border wall construction, fueling an ongoing dispute between the state and federal government. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin's directive, published in the Federal Register, cited the El Paso Sector's status as an "area of high illegal entry" to justify bypassing state water protections for road building, concrete production, and dust suppression.

New Mexico officials, including state engineer's office counsel Nathaniel Chakeres, called the move unconstitutional, arguing the state's water belongs to the public under its constitution. Officials say Customs and Border Protection has continued pumping from unpermitted wells despite agreeing to pause new drilling, and described unsafe well conditions risking groundwater contamination. The conflict follows months of tension, including a land dispute with a Catholic diocese, farmer complaints over aquifer depletion, and an August lawsuit by the state against the federal government and its contractors over unauthorized drilling near the border.

The 2026 race for Texas Agriculture Commissioner features Republican Nate Sheets against Democrat Clayton Tucker, along with Libertarian candidate Kelly. Incumbent Sid Miller lost his primary bid to Sheets, a businessman and co-founder of Nature Nate's Honey who is backed by Gov. Greg Abbott and other prominent Texas Republicans. Sheets identifies with the MAHA movement and has focused his platform on clean food production, curbing tax breaks for data centers, rural economic development and stricter employment verification requirements.

Tucker, a rancher and Texas Farmers Union secretary with a background in trade justice advocacy, ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. Her platform emphasizes protecting family farms from data center expansion, lowering food costs, regulating chemicals like PFAS, and expanding hemp farming and agricultural co-ops. Libertarian candidate Kelly, an ecology consultant and lecturer, calls for cutting regulations, auditing the agriculture department and protecting property rights. The office oversees agribusiness regulation, rural economic development and disaster relief for the state's roughly 230,000 farms.

Texas voters will choose a new agriculture commissioner in 2026 after incumbent Sid Miller lost his Republican primary to Nate Sheets, a honey-business owner backed by Gov. Greg Abbott. Sheets faces Democratic nominee Clayton Tucker, a longtime party campaign organizer with no primary opposition, and Libertarian candidate Austin R. Kelly in the general election.

The office oversees the Texas Department of Agriculture, which regulates cattle, grain, pesticides, hemp and organic operations, administers the National School Lunch Program, and supports rural economic development and disaster relief. Sheets has raised significantly more money than Tucker, drawing large donations from Abbott-aligned PACs, the Texas Farm Bureau and individual businessmen. Tucker's funding includes a notable contribution from musician Don Henley. Kelly's campaign has raised minimal funds. With agriculture as Texas' second-largest industry and the state a top national exporter, the race carries stakes for farmers and ranchers navigating climate pressures, labor shortages and supply chain issues.

Sid Miller's primary loss sets up a Sheets-Tucker-Kelly race for Texas agriculture commissioner in 2026.

President Trump has announced a deal to allow 300,000 tons of tariff-free imported beef to be sold at 25% below current market prices for a 90-day period, with an executive order expected within two weeks. The move aims to ease high beef prices driven by shrinking cattle herds, elevated input costs, and drought conditions nationwide. The U.S. cattle herd has fallen to a 75-year low, and average retail beef prices hit a record $9.64 per pound in April, up about 13% from 2025.

Ranchers and industry groups across multiple states have pushed back. Oklahoma producers said they weren't consulted and questioned whether savings would reach consumers, while rancher Christina Ferris called for mandatory country-of-origin labeling. In Florida, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and Florida Cattlemen's Association warned that "artificially interfering" with cattle markets could undermine herd-rebuilding efforts and long-term supply stability. Oklahoma gubernatorial candidate Gentner Drummond opposed the plan as harmful to state cattlemen. The dispute underscores tension between lowering consumer beef prices and protecting domestic ranchers amid tight cattle supplies.