This extension will give producers more time to finish their water treaty grant application

AUSTIN – Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) announced that the application deadline for the 1944 Water Treaty Grant has been extended. This grant provides $280 million in assistance to agricultural producers with irrigation water rights along the Rio Grande River. It offers economic relief to producers affected by water shortages due to Mexico’s failure to meet its obligations under the 1944 Water Treaty. TDA is now accepting grant applications until Thursday, June 5, 2025.

"The response to the launch of this grant opportunity has been exceptional,” said Commissioner Miller. “We are providing an extension that allows producers additional time to submit complete applications for eligible individuals, as they have encountered considerable challenges. This extension is the least we can do.”

The 1944 Water Treaty requires Mexico to provide 350,000 acre-feet of water each year in a five-year cycle to the United States. Currently, Mexico has failed to meet its treaty obligations, accumulating a debt of over one million acre-feet of water. This predicament has led to substantial losses for farmers and ranchers in South Texas, causing thousands of job losses and negatively affecting family livelihoods.

TDA will distribute economic assistance to eligible producers through a non-competitive process. An “Eligible Producer” is an agriculture producer with 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.  

A commercial agriculture producer is an individual or business that grows crops or raises livestock primarily for sale and profit, rather than for personal consumption or recreation. An eligible producer may be located in Brewster, Brooks, Cameron, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Kinney, Maverick, Presidio, Starr, Terrell, Val Verde, Webb, Willacy, or Zapata counties.

Applicants must provide their authorized irrigation certificate number, documentation of their irrigation district or Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) water rights, and proof of their total number of irrigable acres.

To stay informed about workshop dates and locations—as well as application materials and frequently asked questions—please visit here.