Texas Farmers Pay the Ultimate Price for Climate Denial Policies

Texas is burning dry. Fields once lush with cotton and wheat now crack under a relentless sun, and reservoirs dwindle to half their capacity. On April 22, 2025, Governor Greg Abbott renewed a disaster proclamation for dozens of counties, acknowledging a drought that has gripped the state since 2022. This is no fleeting crisis. It is a stark warning of a future shaped by climate change, where water scarcity threatens not just crops but the very fabric of communities. The proclamation, while necessary, feels like a bandage on a wound that demands surgery.

The numbers are staggering. In 2024 alone, Texas farmers and ranchers lost $3.4 billion to weather-related disasters, with drought and heat accounting for two-thirds of that devastation. Cotton fields, the backbone of rural economies, bled $1.8 billion. The closure of the state’s last sugar mill cost 500 jobs and $100 million in economic activity. These are not abstract figures; they are the livelihoods of families, the shuttered businesses in small towns, the empty tables where abundance once stood.

Yet, the response from state leadership remains tethered to short-term fixes: emergency loans, suspended regulations, and resource mobilization. These measures, while practical, sidestep the root cause. Climate change, driven by decades of unchecked emissions and fossil fuel dependence, is making droughts longer, hotter, and more brutal. To ignore this is to condemn Texas to a cycle of destruction. The path forward demands courage, vision, and a commitment to systemic change.

Advocates for environmental justice and sustainable agriculture see this moment as a turning point. The drought is not just a natural disaster; it is a policy failure, a refusal to confront the realities of a warming planet. Texas, with its vast resources and ingenuity, has the power to lead. But it must act now, prioritizing people over profits and resilience over denial.

Walk through the Rio Grande Valley, and you’ll see the toll of this drought etched into the land and its people. Citrus groves and vegetable fields, once vibrant, now struggle under irrigation cutbacks. Nearly $1 billion in economic losses hit the region in 2023, and the pain lingers. Farmers, forced to plant drought-tolerant crops like sorghum, still face yields that hinge on unpredictable rains. The cattle industry, a Texas hallmark, has shrunk to its smallest size since 1968, with ranchers culling herds to survive.

The ripple effects reach beyond the fields. Rural communities, already stretched thin, face job losses and declining local economies. When a sugar mill closes or a farm scales back, the diners, hardware stores, and schools in those towns feel the pinch. Families tighten belts, and dreams of stability slip further out of reach. This is the human cost of a crisis left to fester, of policies that prioritize temporary relief over transformative solutions.

Contrast this with the potential of proactive measures. Statewide investments in water conservation, like upgrading leaky infrastructure or expanding rainwater harvesting, could save billions of gallons annually. In 2023, Texas lost 88 billion gallons to pipe leaks, enough to supply entire cities. Imagine redirecting those resources to farmers, schools, and hospitals. Imagine a Texas where every drop is valued, where communities are shielded from the worst of climate change’s wrath.

Skeptics might argue that such investments are too costly, that emergency loans and federal aid are sufficient. But this view is shortsighted. Patching a sinking ship doesn’t keep it afloat; it only delays the inevitable. The $1 billion in annual crop insurance payouts for drought in the 2020s is a taxpayer burden that could be eased with long-term planning. Reactive measures drain wallets and spirits, while forward-thinking policies build resilience and hope.

The science is undeniable. The Southwest, including Texas, has warmed nearly 2°F since 1900, with the past two decades marking the driest period in 1,200 years. Human-caused warming, fueled by fossil fuel emissions, accounts for nearly half of the region’s soil moisture loss. Snowpacks shrink, rivers dwindle, and evaporation soars, leaving reservoirs like those in central Texas at historic lows. This is not a fluke; it is a new reality, one that demands a reckoning.

Texas cannot afford to ignore this truth. The state’s reliance on finite water sources, coupled with a growing population, amplifies the stakes. Climate models project temperatures rising another 3.5°F to 9.5°F by century’s end, with droughts becoming even more frequent and severe. Without bold action, the agricultural losses of 2024 will seem modest compared to what lies ahead. Wildfires, dust storms, and water rationing will become the norm, not the exception.

Yet, some policymakers cling to outdated priorities, championing fossil fuel expansion over renewable energy and conservation. This approach not only exacerbates climate change but betrays the very communities it claims to serve. Farmers, ranchers, and small-town residents deserve leaders who fight for their future, not ones who gamble it away on industries that deepen the crisis. A shift to clean energy, paired with aggressive water management, could stabilize Texas’ economy and environment for generations.

The path forward is clear. Texas must invest in a sustainable water future, starting with conservation. Agricultural irrigation, which consumes 53% of the state’s water, can be revolutionized with efficient technologies and better land management. Lining irrigation canals in the Rio Grande Valley could save nearly a million acre-feet of water annually. Desalination, already underway in cities like Corpus Christi, offers a renewable supply for coastal communities. A proposed statewide water grid could move water from wetter regions to drier ones, ensuring no county is left parched.

Beyond infrastructure, Texas needs a cultural shift. Public education campaigns can inspire households to conserve, while rebates for water-efficient appliances can ease the transition. Lawmakers should commit $2.5 billion to $5 billion for water projects, prioritizing conservation over costly new reservoirs. These investments are not luxuries; they are necessities for a state staring down a future of scarcity.

The federal government has a role, too. Expanding funding for climate-smart agriculture and renewable energy can help Texas farmers adapt while reducing emissions. The Biden administration’s infrastructure investments showed what’s possible; now, with new leadership in Washington, advocates must push for policies that prioritize people over corporate interests. Texas can lead this charge, proving that even a state rooted in tradition can embrace progress.

The drought disaster proclamation is a wake-up call, but it’s not enough. Texas stands at a crossroads. One path leads to deeper crises, more losses, and a state unprepared for the challenges of a warming world. The other leads to resilience, innovation, and a Texas that thrives despite the odds. The choice is ours, and the time to act is now.