Do You Know the Meaning Behind the Iconic GO TEXAN Mark?

There’s no place quite like Texas. Our state is renowned for its unique character, economic strength, scorching summer heat, and fascinating history. Fromthe Piney Woods in the east to the mountainous Big Bend National Park in the west, along the Gulf Coast beaches, across Hill Country, and up to the Great Plains in the northwest, Texas boasts a stunning variety of beautiful landscapes spanning across the second largest state in the U.S. And while Texas residents are as varied as the scenery, Texans tend tohave one thing in common: a resolute sense of pride for the state we call home.

Itwas in that spirit of Texas pride and ingenuity that the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) developed the GO TEX AN program in 1999 to support and promote Texan products and businesses. Consumer research conducted by TDA shows Texans have a clear preference for purchasing Texan products, so they developed a way to connect Tex an businesses with customers who wanted to spend their dollars locally.

“More than 90% of farms and ranches in Texas are family-owned,” said Lindsay Baerwald, Director for Marketing at the Texas Department of Agriculture. “We also have more than 2.8million small businesses, which employ over 45% of Texas employees and are essential to the vitality of Texas’ local economy and community.”

The The GO TEX AN program connects businesses to producers, vendors, events, trade shows, and more to help businesses thrive and gain exposure. Participating businesses alsoget touse the iconic GO TEXAN certification mark on qualified products to help consumers quickly identify them as Texas-made.

“The GO TEXAN marketing campaign ismore than the promotion of a brand, it’s the confirmation of the passion Texans feel for our great state,” said Baerwald. “Through GO TEXAN, we have been able to convert feelings into sales for producers and manufacturers, revenue for our state, and jobs for Texans.”

Since the inception of the GO TEXAN campaign, the program has grown to nearly 1,500participating businesses. In the past year alone, estimated gross sales for all GO TEXAN members totaled $671 million – with the estimated economic impact totaling $1.1 billion.

“We like todo things bigger, and more importantly better, here in the Lone Star State.”

“Texas agriculture is no exception. Texas leads the nation in cattle, cotton, sheep, horses, goats and mo hair production, hay, the number of farm sand ranch es, land in agricultural production and value of farm real estate,” said Miller. “Itmakes sense we wouldhave a program showcasing all that our great state has to offer.”

In addition to farms and ranches, GO TEXAN partners include restaurants, farmers markets, and retailers who can display the GO TEXAN mark on their menus and signage to show consumers t hey have a commitment to sourcing Texas ingredients and products.

One such retailer is GO -TEXAN Champion Sponsor H-E-B, which began its Quest for Texas Best competition in 2014 to find the best Texas-based food and beverage products. Winners get to display their products at H-E-B stores across the state – an incredible opportunity for local businesses to expand their reach. Each year, a GO TEXAN partner has been among the winners inthe competition.

Another way the GO TEX AN program helps its partners gain exposure is at the Texas State Fair. The GO TEXAN Pavilion (affectionately referred to as the “free food building” because of the daily product samples) houses a general store that stocks its shelves with GO TEXAN products. Because a contractor handles the staffing and book keeping, it’s a greatway for GO TEXAN partners to reach new customers and sell their products at the fair without having to worry about having staff physically present. In 2019, GO TEXAN product sales at the general store totaled over $400,000. Whenthe 2020State Fair of Texas was canceled due to COVID-19, TDA knew what this would mean for their partners and immediately leaped into action.

“The COVID-19 virus may have shutdown the fair and the GO TEXAN Pavilion this year,” said Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, “but the Texas Department of Agriculture isn’t going to let it keep Texans from shopping for the best Texas-made products available. Since you can’t come to the GO TEXAN Pavilion at the State Fair, we’re bringing the GO TEXAN Pavilion to you 2020-style -virtually!”

TDA worked around the clock to launch its first e-commerce site to help its partners gain some of the exposure they would have otherwise had at the fair. With the successful launch of shop.gotexan.org, GO TEXAN hopes to eventually expand its online product offerings to include all GO TEXAN products and businesses.

Recognizing the opportunity for expansion into international markets, GO TEXAN has extended its offerings to help Texas businesses expand outside of Texas and the United States by facilitating international relationships.

“Consumers around theworld have a very positive perception about Texas products and businesses,” said Baerwald. “This is great news for

Texas companies and communities because it offers new and emerging markets for exports fromthe Lone Star State.”

Helping GO TEXAN businesses growt heir international sales has a profound effect on local communities.

“Farms, ranches, and local businesses form part of the backbone of the communities they are in,” continued Baerwald. “When our businesses growand expand, our communities can grow and expand.”

If youwant to support Texas made products and local businesses, here are a few ways you canget involved:

• Look for the GO TEXAN mark on products, restaurants and businesses

•Shop The GO TEX AN Market online at shop.gotexan.org

• Visit gotexan.org to familiarize yourself with GO TEXAN partners and support their businesses

• Request your favorite local restaurants buy local produce or expand their wine, beer, and spirits list to include award-winning Texas adult beverages

•Follow GO TEXAN on social media to stay informed about GO TEXAN products.

Supporting Texas-made products and businesses is key to helping local communities thrive. “Spending your money in the community helps stimulate the local economy,” emphasized Baerwald. “Strong local businesses help create and maintain jobs and are also more likely tore-invest in the community.”

Formore information about GO TEXAN or to become a partner, visit gotexan.org.