Reagan V. Brown
Encyclopedia
Reagan V. Brown was Texas Commissioner of Agriculture from 1977 - 1982.
in 1943. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II
. He was a farmer and county extension agent.
appointed Reagan V. Brown to succeed longtime Agriculture Commissioner John C. White
when White resigned to serve in the Carter
administration.
In 1978, Brown was elected under the new statute providing four-year terms for statewide elected officials. He was known for his fight for pest and predator control. To prevent the spread of the Mediterranean fruit fly from California to Texas in 1981, Brown required California produce to be fumigated before entering the state. Under special legislation passed during the fruit-fly crisis, the department was authorized to seize or destroy infested products and to stop interstate and intrastate traffic to enforce the law.
Brown also worked to halt the spread of the imported fire ant
. He even famously put his hand into a fire ant mound at the urging of a television reporter while news cameras rolled. However, his opponent in the 1982 Democratic Primary, Jim Hightower
accused him of manufacturing the fire ant crisis to win reelection. Hightower defeated Brown and succeeded him as Agriculture Commissioner.
and decided to breed bison
, which were once plentiful in Texas, but had been hunted to near-extinction.
on November 16, 1999.
Early years
Brown graduated from Texas A&M UniversityTexas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
in 1943. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was a farmer and county extension agent.
Texas agriculture commissioner
Governor Dolph BriscoeDolph Briscoe
Dolph Briscoe, Jr. was a Uvalde, Texas rancher and businessman who was the 41st Governor of Texas between 1973 and 1979....
appointed Reagan V. Brown to succeed longtime Agriculture Commissioner John C. White
John C. White
John Coyle White was an elected and appointed Democratic official from Texas. He was the longest-serving Texas Commissioner of Agriculture, first elected in 1951 and serving until his resignation in 1977. White was the youngest person elected to statewide office in Texas...
when White resigned to serve in the Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
administration.
In 1978, Brown was elected under the new statute providing four-year terms for statewide elected officials. He was known for his fight for pest and predator control. To prevent the spread of the Mediterranean fruit fly from California to Texas in 1981, Brown required California produce to be fumigated before entering the state. Under special legislation passed during the fruit-fly crisis, the department was authorized to seize or destroy infested products and to stop interstate and intrastate traffic to enforce the law.
Brown also worked to halt the spread of the imported fire ant
Fire ant
Fire ants are a variety of stinging ants with over 285 species worldwide. They have several common names, including ginger ants, tropical fire ants and red ants.- Appearance :...
. He even famously put his hand into a fire ant mound at the urging of a television reporter while news cameras rolled. However, his opponent in the 1982 Democratic Primary, Jim Hightower
Jim Hightower
James Allen "Jim" Hightower is an American syndicated columnist, activist and author.-Life and career:Born in Denison, Texas, Hightower came from a working class background. He worked his way through college as assistant general manager of the Denton Chamber of Commerce and later landed a spot as...
accused him of manufacturing the fire ant crisis to win reelection. Hightower defeated Brown and succeeded him as Agriculture Commissioner.
Lucky B ranch
In 1983, Brown bought the Lucky B Ranch near Bryan, TexasBryan, Texas
Bryan is a city in Brazos County, Texas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 76,201. It is the county seat of Brazos County and is located in the heart of the Brazos Valley . It shares its border with the city of College Station, which lies to its south...
and decided to breed bison
Bison
Members of the genus Bison are large, even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. Two extant and four extinct species are recognized...
, which were once plentiful in Texas, but had been hunted to near-extinction.
Death
Brown died in a farm tractor accident at the Lucky B Bison Ranch in Brazos County, TexasBrazos County, Texas
Brazos County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas in the Central Texas region. In 2010, its population was 194,851. The county seat is Bryan and it is part of the Bryan-College Station metropolitan area. Brazos is named for the Brazos River, along with Brazoria...
on November 16, 1999.