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Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins confirmed the breakthrough deal in a statement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. According to Rollins, Mexico has now agreed to release a larger portion of water from six key tributaries of the Rio Grande—water that Texas farmers desperately need.
“Mexico finally meeting the water needs of Texas farmers and ranchers under the 1944 Water Treaty is a major win for American agriculture,” Rollins said.
She credited President Trump’s unwavering support of America’s farmers and his commitment to holding international partners accountable.
“None of this would have been possible without the fervent support of our farmers from President Trump and his work to hold our trading partners accountable,” she added.
Rollins said the new agreement will begin benefiting Texas farmers as early as this growing season. The deal couldn’t come soon enough for agricultural producers who’ve been sounding the alarm for years.
“Farmers in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas are either out of water or running out of water quickly,” said Brian Jones, a farmer in Hidalgo County and a board member of the Texas Farm Bureau.
Jones spoke to CNN about the devastating impact of the crisis, particularly on the region’s once-thriving sugar industry.
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“The sugar industry is lost to Texas and will never return,” he said bluntly.
In fact, the state’s last remaining sugar mill—the Rio Grande Valley Sugar Growers—recently shut its doors for good. The company directly blamed Mexico’s failure to uphold the treaty.
“For over 30 years, farmers in South Texas have been battling with Mexico’s failure to comply with the provisions of the 1944 Water Treaty,” the mill said in its closure announcement.
The new agreement not only aims to fix current shortfalls but also includes a long-term commitment from Mexico to prevent future lapses. The U.S. and Mexico have agreed to hold regular consultations and allow for additional monthly water transfers to ensure treaty compliance going forward.
In a statement, the State Department praised the deal as a “historic demonstration of leadership” by President Trump. Officials also thanked newly elected Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum for her cooperation.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau were both involved in brokering the agreement. The deal outlines a long-term framework to meet treaty obligations while also addressing Mexico’s historic water debts.
To further support the farmers who’ve been devastated by this prolonged crisis, the USDA will send $280 million in emergency funding to the Texas Department of Agriculture. That aid will go directly to help producers recover from the damage caused by years of water shortages.
While the fight isn’t over, the Trump administration’s bold action has delivered long-awaited relief to Texas farmers—and a clear message to foreign governments: the United States will not be taken advantage of.
