The following are the complete and unedited responses submitted by the candidate listed below to the Amarillo Pioneer’s Candidate Questionnaire.

Name: Nate Sheets

Office Sought: Agriculture Commissioner

Party Affiliation: Republican

Age: 55

What is your educational background? Please list any degrees or certificates earned and any institutions attended.

BBA degree in Marketing from Southwest Texas State University.

What is your occupation?

Entrepreneur, Founder of Nature Nate’s Honey

Please list any civic boards or commissions (non-profit, government, union, religious, political, etc.) on which you have served as a board member or equivalent.

E3 Partners Ministry / 12 years
VP of Comm/Dev
President, Evangecube Global Ministries
President, I Am Second
Boy Scouts of America - Cub Master / 8 Years
Boy Scout of America / Circle Ten - Board Member / 4 Years
RightNow Media - Board Member / 6 Years
Empower One - Advisory Board Member / 10 Years
East West Ministries - Board Member / 6 Years
Amazi Water - Board Member / 3 Years (Active)
Healing Strong - Advisory Board Member / 6 Months (Active)
C12 - Member / 16 Years (Active)
Prestonwood Baptist Church - Member / 22 Years
Watermark Plano - Member / 3 Years
Providence Church - Member / 4 Years (Active)

Have you previously held or do you currently hold any elected office? If so, what office(s)?

If your campaign has any online campaign resources where voters can learn more about you, such as social media accounts or a website, please list them below.

natesheets.com ; https://www.facebook.com/natesheetsfortexas; https://x.com/natesheetsforTX ; https://www.youtube.com/@NateSheetsForTexasAg ; https://www.instagram.com/natesheetsfortx/

Why did you decide to run for this office in 2026?

I am running because Texas agriculture is at a crossroads. Our food supply is being weakened by corporate consolidation, foreign land grabs, and a state agency that puts politics before producers. Families are losing trust in the food on their tables, while farmers and ranchers are earning less and less for their work. On top of that, our state is facing a public health crisis directly tied to our food environment—skyrocketing obesity, diabetes, and chronic disease. I believe the Agriculture Commissioner must be part of the solution, not part of the problem. As a Navy veteran and entrepreneur who built America’s #1 branded honey from a single backyard hive, I know what it takes to lead, innovate, and open new markets. I want to bring integrity, efficiency, and common-sense reforms to the Department of Agriculture so we can protect our land, our food supply, and the health of the next generation.

If elected, what will be your top three priorities in office?

Priority 1: DOGE the Ag Commission – Clean Out Corruption and Waste The Texas Department of Agriculture is supposed to serve farmers, ranchers, and families. Instead, under Sid Miller it has become a revolving door of scandals, waste, and cronyism. He raised fees on producers, created six-figure jobs for political insiders, and even rehired a top aide convicted of bribery to run the agency. Meanwhile, the Department lost key regulatory responsibilities because of his mismanagement. I will bring a “Department of Government Efficiency” approach—cutting waste, reducing junk fees, and running the agency with the discipline of a successful business, not a personal playground. That’s how we restore trust and make sure taxpayer dollars actually serve Texas agriculture.

Priority 2: Grow New Markets in the MAHA Economy Farmers used to receive over 40 cents of every food dollar. Today, they earn less than 16 cents. That’s why Texas has lost an average of 68 family farms every single week since 2018. My vision is to reconnect Texas farmers and ranchers directly with Texas families. As Agriculture Commissioner, I will expand “Go Texan” retail partnerships, create digital platforms where producers can sell directly to consumers, and open up institutional markets—like schools and universities—for local growers. Clean, local food isn’t just a health issue—it’s an economic one. By giving producers more direct access to consumers in the “Make America Healthy Again” economy, we can create jobs, raise farm incomes, and make sure rural Texas thrives.

Priority 3: Tackle the Public Health Crisis with Real Food My opponent talks about “making kids healthy,” but his record says otherwise. His first act as Commissioner was rolling back limits on sodas, cupcakes, and fryers in Texas schools—putting more junk food on kids’ plates and sticking taxpayers with the bill, resulting in Texas ranking 44th in the country in nutritional value for School lunch programs. We will focus on achieving a top 10 ranking during my tenure. Today, Medicaid costs in Texas have tripled, and most health spending goes toward preventable chronic disease. As a conservative, I believe we either pay on the front end or the back end—and right now we’re paying on the back end. As Agriculture Commissioner, I’ll use existing food dollars to steer schools and other large buyers toward Texas-grown meat, fruits, and vegetables—fixing the market, not growing government. Healthier kids, stronger farms, and smarter use of taxpayer dollars.

What is an issue you believe has gone overlooked in your race and how will you address it if elected?

One issue overlooked in this race is agricultural biosecurity—and biosecurity is border security. Texas leads the nation in livestock and sits on an international border where foreign animal disease and invasive pests pose real threats. The recent screwworm scare is a perfect example: the response came after the threat was already at our doorstep. Under the current commissioner, leadership has been reactive instead of preventative. As Agriculture Commissioner, I’ll take a national-security approach—prioritizing early detection, strong coordination with federal partners, and real enforcement—so we stop threats before they cross the line, not issue press releases after the damage is done.

Do you have any notable endorsements you would like to highlight for voters? If this question is not applicable, please write N/A.

Conservatives across Texas are ready for change, and that’s why my campaign has earned the support of a broad coalition of trusted conservative leaders and grassroots organizations. I’m proud to be endorsed by leading watchdog and grassroots groups including True Texas Project, Grassroots America, Kingwood Tea Party, Gun Owners of America, Texas College Republicans, Texas Gun Right, Patriot Owned Businesses and conservative activists across the state. I’m also honored to have the support of former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum, Dr. Peter McCullough, State Senator Charles Perry, Chairman of the Texas Senate Agriculture Committee, and your local conservative State Senator Kevin Sparks, all of whom know Texas cannot afford another four years of failed leadership under Sid Miller. These endorsements reflect a growing consensus that it’s time for serious, conservative leadership at the Texas Department of Agriculture.

Why are you the best candidate for voters to support for this position?

I’m the best candidate for this role because I bring real-world leadership, integrity, and results to an office that’s been run on politics instead of performance. I’m a Navy veteran, a proven entrepreneur who built a single beehive backyard hobby into Nature Nates, the #1 branded honey and largest honey company in America, and a conservative who understands how to run complex organizations efficiently and transparently. I’ve worked directly with farmers, ranchers, retailers, and regulators—and I know how policy decisions affect them on the ground. Unlike career politicians, I’ve created new sectors in agriculture driving massive revenue growth, balanced budgets, met payrolls, built markets and distribution platforms, solved problems before they became crises and identified

opportunities and led teams to take advantage. Texas agriculture needs serious leadership, not headlines and self serving abuse — I’m ready to deliver it!