The Thriving Texas Dairy Industry

(AUSTIN) — Texas ranks fifth nationally in both dairy production and its dairy cow population, and the industry is increasing despite recent challenges such as inclement weather and the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the just-released June/July edition of Fiscal Notes, the Comptroller’s office examines the economic impact of Texas dairy farms. They account for a total economic impact of $50.3 billion in Texas, or nearly 3 percent of the gross state product.

“Animals have a huge impact on our daily lives, from farm animals that provide food for our tables to pets that become part of our families,” Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar said. “New technologies are changing the way we interact with animals and leading to greater efficiencies in several key sectors. For example, the Texas dairy industry is looking toward the future and increasingly leveraging technology, including a sort of bovine Fitbit to assess health.”

In this issue, we also examine a sales tax applied to animal adoptions at rescue organizations and the upcoming changes to the law. For you to receive a sales tax exemption on adoptions, current law requires animal welfare groups to own the facilities where they house homeless animals. Because of the negative impact on rescue organizations and costs to local governments, the Comptroller’s office worked with legislators and stakeholders to change the current law.

Fiscal Notes furthers the Comptroller’s constitutional responsibility to monitor the state’s economy and estimate state government revenues. It has been published since 1975, featuring in-depth analysis concerning state finances and original research by subject-matter experts in the Comptroller’s office.

Fiscal Notes is available online and can be received by subscribing via the Comptroller’s website.

If you have questions about how our agency functions during the outbreak or want more information, you can go to our COVID-19 News page or our Virtual Field Office.