DALLAS — Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is raising concerns about the state’s ongoing water shortage and the impact of tariffs on Texas farmers, emphasizing the urgent need for policy solutions to protect the state’s agricultural industry.
Speaking with WFAA’s Natalie Haddad for Inside Texas Politics, Miller highlighted the challenges farmers and ranchers face due to prolonged drought conditions across the state. With water levels in key reservoirs and aquifers continuing to decline, agricultural operations are under increasing strain.
“Well, we’re out of water,” Miller said. “Some of our cities, especially our large ones, by the time they get their water to when they deliver it to the customers, [they] lose 30%. We can’t be wasting 30%. We don’t have 30% to waste anymore.”
Miller said he has been working with lawmakers, including Sen. Charles Perry (R-San Angelo), to improve the state’s water infrastructure.
“New piping, upgrades and infrastructure, we can get on that immediately,” Miller said. “But we also need to do rainwater harvesting, recycle our water treatment of water… Our farmers can certainly irrigate with that. We don’t have to drink but we can use it for manufacturing or growing crops.”
When asked about tariffs and their effect on the state’s agriculture industry, Miller pointed out “short-term pain” for long-lasting results.
“Just like the tariff war we had in Trump’s first administration, farmers came out great,” Miller said. “I mean we made more money than we ever had once the dust cleared when we went through the trade war.”
He pointed to Mexico and China as key trading partners where recent trade disputes have affected Texas agricultural exports.
Miller reaffirmed his commitment to working with policymakers to address these pressing issues and ensure that Texas agriculture remains a strong pillar of the state’s economy.
Looking to the future and concerns over egg prices and Bird Flu, Miller said “biosecurity measures” have changed.
“We’re taking extra biosecurity measures in our hen houses,” Miller said. “People disinfect their boots when they come in and when they come out. We’re washing tires off of fee trucks, things like that. They come sterile and they leave sterile.”
Miller said Texas was unscathed when it comes to the Bird Flu this past fall, and he is hopeful we are in the clear for another six to eight months.