2025 Big Beautiful Bill: A Call to Reshape Texas Agriculture with Sub-Rural Vertical Farming

Call to Action: Rebuilding Trust in Texas Agriculture Through Policy, Innovation, and Place-Based Investment

In the wake of the 2025 “Big Beautiful Bill,” America’s agricultural future stands at a crossroads. While traditional farmers gained expanded subsidies, tax relief, and insurance guarantees, urban and vertical growers received only modest nods—without the funding momentum needed to scale solutions for a rapidly changing world.

At Lone Star Legacy Greens, we believe Texas has the opportunity—and responsibility—to step into the gap Washington left behind. Rising food insecurity, volatile supply chains, and the disproportionate favor shown to mega-farms all reveal a need for state-driven leadership in agricultural reform.

One clear path forward? Sub-rural vertical farming.

Strategically positioned between rural producers and urban consumers, sub-rural zones across Texas—particularly in DFW, Austin, and San Antonio corridors—offer a transformative model for food security, job creation, and climate-conscious growth. These areas don’t just fill in the cracks of our fractured food system—they forge new connective tissue that shortens supply chains, supports small producers, and decentralizes risk.

But to realize this vision, policy must act with intention.

We call on Texas policymakers and legislative leaders to take immediate steps that will reshape our agricultural trajectory:

?? 1. Zoning Reform for Sub-Rural Agriculture

Amend land use classifications to explicitly support Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), aquaponics, and modular vertical farming projects in peri-urban and sub-rural zones. Clear land-use pathways reduce permitting delays and catalyze growth where it’s most effective.

? 2. Cooperative Infrastructure and Grant Incentives

Create targeted programs that fund cold storage, clean water recycling, renewable power microgrids, and local food hubs—accessible by independent and small-scale growers operating in vertical systems. Level the playing field with Big Ag by making sustainability cost-effective.

? 3. Impact-Investor Partnerships and Tax Alignment

Offer state-backed guarantees or tax credits for private investment in vertical farming, especially where measurable climate, employment, or nutrition outcomes are tied to funding. Encourage a new class of food infrastructure investors who prioritize long-term, resilient returns.

? 4. Education, Certification, and Strategic Training

Support workforce pipelines and community reskilling programs that prepare Texans—especially in low-income or rural communities—for employment in high-tech agriculture, systems management, and food logistics. Equip our next generation to lead in this sector.

The traditional farm bill model isn’t enough anymore. It protects—but does not evolve. Texas can—and must—build the next layer of agricultural innovation rooted in equity, resilience, and regional sovereignty. Sub-rural vertical farming is not just a niche trend; it is a policy and capital priority with the power to unify rural and urban Texas around shared prosperity.

Now is the time to restore confidence in our food systems, empower distributed producers, and prove that local food doesn’t have to mean small impact.

Texas is ready to lead. We’re ready to help.

? Lone Star Legacy Greens – Bridging innovation and implementation across the future of food.

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