Agriculture

From Dying Farms to Thriving Agriculture

“No nation has ever achieved permanent greatness unless this greatness was based on the wellbeing of the great farmer class, the men who live on the soil.”-Teddy Roosevelt

The Crisis Right Now

Texas lost 17,700 farms in the last five years. Drought cost Texas farmers $3.4 billion in 2024 alone. Average farm income dropped to just $6,600 per year. As a result, young people are abandoning family farms for city jobs. The West Texas cotton industry is ‘bleeding’—cotton costs 68-97 cents per pound, sells for 66 cents. Conditions resemble the reasons why farmers in the 1880s waged a full scale REVOLT against east coast money men, and formed their own successful political party.

The Solution

Make farming profitable and sustainable again by using clean energy technology to solve the region’s water crisis, provide new revenue streams, and process food locally so farmers keep more of the food’s value. Such a localized system will also eliminate food price inflation.

What This Could Look Like

PHASE 1 (Years 1-2): Solve the Water Crisis

• $200 million RFC investment in solar-powered irrigation systems. 
• Atmospheric water generators that make water from air deployable to 1,000 farms.
• Drought-proof farming technology ends dependence on rainfall.
• Zero-interest loans for sustainable farming equipment, because farmers are THAT important.

PHASE 2 (Years 2-4): High-Tech Farming Revolution

• Precision agriculture equipment deployed with RFC financing. 
• Broadband internet reaches every farm in the district.
• Soil sensors and satellite guidance increase yields 15%.
• Crop insurance costs drop as farming becomes more predictable.

PHASE 3 (Years 4-6): Dual-Income Agriculture

• Solar panels installed in over 200,000 acres of pasture. 
• Cattle get shade, ranchers get income—$150 per acre annually.
• The dual land use for solar energy and agriculture, agrivoltaics, will generate $30 million in new ranch revenue.
• Farmers become energy producers while still raising crops and livestock.

PHASE 4 (Years 6-8): Local Food Processing

• Regional food processing plants built with RFC loans. 
• Keep value-added money in West Texas instead of shipping to cities—PROFITS STAY HERE.
• Farm-to-table supply chains reduce transportation costs.
• Farmers get BIGGER share of retail food dollar.

LONG-TERM VISION: Agricultural Renaissance Complete

• Average farm income rises from $6,600 to $35,000—$75,000 more if land is also used for solar panels!
• Family farms become profitable and sustainable. 
• Young people return to family agriculture.
• Food security and water independence achieved.

What about Big Agriculture?

They’ll complain! They’ll stomp their feet! They’ll get all worked up about their disappearing profits! But they’ll adjust like Big Oil, and as our farmland becomes more profitable, they’ll get in line with their hands out, get in the clean energy business, and probably claim it was all THEIR idea. (I say let them, as long as YOU are doing well). I bet populist Democrat and former Texas Agricultural Commissioner Jim Hightower would be proud of us, though