Texas Agriculture Daily

By Julie Tomascik
Editor

Texas’ only sugar mill is closing after 51 years of growing and processing sugarcane into raw sugar in the Rio Grande Valley.

The harvest and milling season, which was recently completed, will be the last.

The Rio Grande Valley Sugar Growers, Inc. made the decision to close the facility due to the ongoing water issues with Mexico under the 1944 Water Treaty.

“Agriculture in the Rio Grande Valley depends on adequate and reliable irrigation water deliveries,” the mill said in a press release. “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 between the U.S. and Mexico that governs water sharing between the two nations on the Colorado River and the Lower Rio Grande.”

Mexico is obligated to deliver an average of 350,000 acre-feet annually over the defined five-year cycles outlined in the treaty.

Currently, Mexico owes over 736,000 acre-feet of water. Of the 1,113,288 acre-feet of water owed to the U.S. this cycle, Mexico has only delivered 376,915 acre-feet.

Many water districts in the Lower Rio Grande Valley have no irrigation water allocated for farmers in the area, and the situation is made worse by the ongoing drought conditions.

“For over 25 years, the U.S. State Department’s unwillingness to prioritize the citizens and agricultural producers of South Texas has led to numerous water shortages for our area,” the mill said.

Growing and harvesting sugarcane, and processing the crop into raw sugar, has generated substantial economic value for local, state and national economies.

The region is home to over 100 local growers and about 40,000 acres of sugarcane. The mill employees more than 500 full-time and seasonal workers annually.

This decision will have major impacts on the region.

“Despite our growers’ deep desire to continue this legacy for future generations, without reliable supplies of irrigation water and the necessary crop insurance provisions and administrative guidelines to maintain acres, RGVSG, Inc. has no choice but to close its doors. We regret the impact our closure will have on communities across the Valley, especially those closest to the mill—La Villa, Santa Rosa and Edcouch.”

Enforcing the 1944 Water Treaty is a priority issue for Texas Farm Bureau.

“Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) is extremely disappointed to learn lack of action by the U.S. State Department to enforce the 1994 Water Treaty has resulted in the closure of Rio Grande Valley Sugar Growers, Inc. The closure of this historic mill highlights the real-world impacts of decades long inaction and lack of enforcement of the treaty that clearly states Mexico is obligated to deliver water annually to the U.S.,” TFB President Russell Boening said. “Unless substantive actions are taken to force Mexico to comply with the treaty, this problem will continue to further impact agriculture, municipalities and other sectors of the region. TFB stands ready to continue working with state and federal officials to combat this issue and preserve the future of Rio Grande Valley agriculture.”

Late last year, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution, HR 683, introduced by U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz of Texas.

The resolution recognizes that South Texas farmers are experiencing water shortages and supports diplomacy to encourage Mexico to fulfill the commitments in a consistent and timely manner. It also supports negotiations that will guarantee more predictable and reliable water deliveries to the U.S.

“Make no mistake—this closure directly results from Mexico’s failure to abide by the 1944 Water Treaty with the United States,” De La Cruz said in a statement. “Mexico’s lack of timely water deliveries puts all Texas agriculture at risk. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack must step up and hold Mexico’s feet to the fire, enforcing the terms of the water treaty to prevent further job losses and economic impacts from the water shortage plaguing South Texas.”