Texas produce supply could decrease due to Gov. Abbott's inspection plan
AUSTIN, Texas - Gov. Greg Abbott's latest border inspection plan could have negative impacts on the produce Texas receives. Both Texas Ag Commissioner candidates think the plan will lead to less produce on Texas grocery store shelves.
"If this keeps up, we'll have empty produce aisles in our grocery stores," warned incumbent Republican Sid Miller.
Miller’s Democratic challenger, Susan Hays, is worried about the same thing.
"You know, has the governor ruined Easter dinner with the supply of Ag?" said Hays.
The two candidates questioned the Governor’s order for DPS to inspect all commercial truck traffic coming into Texas from Mexico. The cost/benefit of Abbott’s new hard ball strategy does not balance out for them.
"Abbott is like the guy who would rather burn his own house down than sit down at the kitchen table and reason with his brothers and sisters he disagrees with," said Hays, who condemned the action in a social media post.
Miller sent a letter to the governor. He pointed out trucks crossing the border were already being checked.
"So it's ill-advised. You've got one disaster following the Biden disaster, you know, creating two disasters that doesn't help. This is not fighting illegal immigration," said Miller.
While Miller said he was waiting for the governor to reply, Abbott was on the border Wednesday with the governor of the Mexican state of Nuevo León. They signed a deal for Nuevo León officials to increase security patrols in order to decrease illegal crossings.
"The effect of this will be that the bridge from Nuevo León and Texas will return to normal effective immediately. Right now. It will remain that way as long as Nuevo León executes this historic agreement," said Governor Abbott.
Similar deals with other Mexican governors from states on the Texas border are also in the works, according to Abbott. The Governor also blamed his security decisions on the Biden Administration's plan to end what’s known as Title 42. It's a Trump-era pandemic policy that turned away undocumented migrants.
"If you want relief from the clogged border, you need to call President Biden," said Abbott.
White House press spokesperson Jen Psaki released a statement Wednesday. She described Abbott's inspection plan as "unnecessary and redundant." She added the governor’s actions are "impacting people's jobs and the livelihoods of hardworking American families."
"And I'll also say we need to be thinking longer and harder about our food supply chains. Texas doesn't grow enough fruits and vegetables, and we have the capability to do so. You know, this becomes a food security issue, and it becomes a national security issue for that reason," said Hays.
Protest rallies are taking place at the border. There are reports some truckers in Mexico are bypassing Texas. They are diverting to New Mexico and Arizona in an attempt to find a new route to produce counters.
Beto O’Rourke posted about the deal on social media.
"Abbott backed down because the people of Texas forced him to," O’Rourke stated.
The action by Governor Abbott is more like an adjustment than a reversal. The Texas border with Mexico runs more than 1,200 miles. The deal with Nuevo León totals less than nine miles.
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MORE HEADLINES:
Biden administration, Mexican governors urge Abbott to end inspections that have bogged down border trade
International trade halted at Texas border crossings as truckers protest Greg Abbott’s new inspections
Psaki dismisses Texas Gov. Abbott plan to bus undocumented immigrants to U.S. Capitol as 'publicity stunt'
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