Private citizen

Austin R. Kelly is an ecologist from Comanche County who runs ARK Ecological Consulting and has lectured in rangeland, botany and ecology at Texas A&M University²³. He was nominated by the Libertarian Party of Texas for agriculture commissioner in April 2026¹⁵.

Where they stand

• Business regulation: Cut regulations broadly and let the market sort it out Said · high confidence
  • Kelly's campaign site calls for aggressively cutting red tape around the hemp industry, cottage food and local meat processing, and eliminating agricultural licensing schemes. (2026) source
  • He told Community Impact his top priorities are cutting burdensome regulations, defending property rights and ending wasteful spending, and that he would remove protectionist rules on direct sales. (2026-09-07) source
  • In a Ballotpedia survey he said the free market, not government, should pick winners and losers in agriculture. (2026) source
• Marijuana: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Said · medium confidence
  • Kelly's campaign site calls for aggressively cutting red tape around the hemp industry and says the agency treats hemp producers like threats. (2026) source

No public position found on: Trade and tariffs, Immigration, Energy and climate.

Record

• Nominated by the Libertarian Party of Texas for agriculture commissioner in April 2026¹⁵.
• Elected in 2024 to the board of the Texas Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration².