By Julie Tomascik
Editor

Farmers affected by water shortages due to Mexico’s failure to fulfill obligations under the 1944 Water Treaty can apply for grants through the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA).

The $280 million through the Texas Water Treaty Assistance Grant is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and administered by TDA.

“Water is the lifeblood of Texas agriculture, and nowhere is this more critical than in the Rio Grande Valley,” Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said in a statement. “The 1944 Water Treaty Grant rollout is precisely the action needed to assist our agricultural producers in the Valley as they have endured a prolonged drought.”

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced the funding during a meeting last month in the Rio Grande Valley.

“Farmers and ranchers in the Rio Grande Valley have worked for generations to feed communities across Texas, the U.S., and beyond,” Rollins said. “A lack of water has already ended sugarcane production in the Valley and is putting the future of citrus, cotton, and other crops at risk. Through this grant, USDA is expediting much-needed economic relief while we continue working with federal, state, and local leadership to push for long-term solutions that protect Texas producers.”

Under the 1944 Water Treaty, Mexico is obligated to deliver 350,000 acre-feet of water annually to the U.S. over a five-year cycle. That water is vital to farmers and communities in the Rio Grande Valley, but right now, Mexico still owes the U.S. over 1 million acre-feet of water.

The delayed water delivery has led to the state’s only sugar mill closing its doors and caused farmers and ranchers across the region to incur significant losses.

Grant details
TDA will distribute economic assistance to eligible farmers through a non-competitive process.

To be eligible, the producer must have farming acreage that was eligible for water allocations for agricultural use as documented through the Rio Grande Watermaster Program as a permit holder either individually or through a water irrigation district during calendar years 2023 and 2024.

Eligible farmers in Brewster, Brooks, Cameron, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Kinney, Maverick, Presidio, Starr, Terrell, Val Verde, Webb, Willacy, or Zapata counties may apply.

TDA will oversee program implementation, the sign-up process and will distribute payments.

Workshops will be available for farmers to receive assistance with the application process. Farmers should bring their authorized irrigation certificate number, documentation of their irrigation district or Texas Commission on Environmental Quality water rights and proof of the total number or irrigable acres.

Grant applications must be submitted by May 22.

For more information on the workshop dates and locations and to apply for the grant, visit TDA’s website.