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Trump Taps Six Texans, Including Rick Perry, To Advise Him On Agriculture

Bob Daemmrich/The Texas Tribune
Republican frontrunner Donald Trump in Council Bluffs, Iowa on Jan. 31.

Donald Trump has tapped half a dozen well-known Texans — including the state's former governor — to advise him on agriculture policy in his campaign for the White House.

The Republican nominee's campaign on Tuesday announced a 64-member Agricultural Advisory Committee that it said "will provide pioneering new ideas to strengthen our nation’s agricultural industry as well as provide support to our rural communities." The Texans on the panel are U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway of Midland, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee; Helen Groves, daughter of King Ranch founder Robert Kleberg; Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller; former Gov. Rick Perry; Red Steagall, the official cowboy poet of Texas; and Johnny Trotter, president of Bar-G Feedyards. 

"The members of my agricultural advisory committee represent the best that America can offer to help serve agricultural communities," Trump said in a statement. "Many of these officials have been elected by their communities to solve the issues that impact our rural areas every day. I’m very proud to stand with these men and women, and look forward to serving those who serve all Americans from the White House."

Miller had previously announced he would be named to the panel. Earlier this month, hetold a Lubbock radio host that Trump would be "great for agriculture" and did not rule out ultimately serving in a Trump administration. 

This story was provided by the Texas Tribune. 

Patrick Svitek is a reporter for the Texas Tribune. He previously worked for the Houston Chronicle's Austin bureau. He graduated in 2014 from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. He originally is from Fort Wayne, Indiana.