The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) is a state agency established by the Texas Legislature in 1907. The commissioner of agriculture, who is elected in the general election every four years, heads the agency. The current commissioner, Todd Staples, was elected in 2006. The mission statement of the Texas Department of Agriculture is:

Partner with all Texans to make Texas the nation's leader in agriculture, fortify our economy, empower rural communities, promote healthy lifestyles, and cultivate winning strategies for rural, suburban and urban Texas through exceptional service and the common threads of agriculture in our daily lives.

TDA is a diversified state agency that provides a value-added service through our marketing and regulatory services. The 1998-99 operating budget was $43 million. With 502 employees, TDA headquarters are located in Austin, and have five regional service offices, four satellite offices, seven laboratories and six livestock export facilities.