Water Treaty Grant Program

The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), under Commissioner Sid Miller, in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture – Farm Service Agency (USDA-FSA), is administering the 1944 Water Treaty Texas Grant - 2023/2024 Program. This $280 million grant initiative responds to significant agricultural water losses in the Rio Grande Valley due to Mexico’s failure to meet its obligations under the 1944 Water Treaty. The funding was authorized through the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2025, as part of the American Relief Act, and it aims to provide direct economic relief to farmers and producers who were impacted in calendar years 2023 and 2024. This grant is non-competitive, meaning all applicants who meet the eligibility criteria will receive funding. Eligible producers are defined as agricultural producers with farmland in one of 14 Texas counties: Brewster, Brooks, Cameron, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Kinney, Maverick, Presidio, Starr, Terrell, Val Verde, Webb, Willacy, or Zapata. Additionally, they must have held water allocation rights documented through the Rio Grande Watermaster Program or an irrigation district during the relevant years. Applicants must also be U.S. citizens, lawful resident aliens, or entities composed exclusively of such individuals, including Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations. Applicants must submit their applications through one of three methods: preferably online via the TDA-GO portal, or alternatively by email or U.S. mail. The complete application package includes contact and acreage details, verification of farming rights and irrigation eligibility, water access documentation, a W-9 form, an application for a Texas Identification Number, and a notarized attestation letter if water is sourced through an irrigation district. Optional documents such as water diversion certificates and lists of other entitled parties can also be submitted. The application deadline is Thursday, May 22, 2025, by 11:59 p.m. Central Time. Technical assistance is available until 5:00 p.m. on May 15, 2025. Award announcements are anticipated in July 2025. The TDA provides help through email and telephone and also conducts workshops to guide applicants through the process. Special provisions are in place for people with disabilities and those requiring language assistance. Applications are reviewed on an individual basis to confirm eligibility, and once approved, payments will be calculated based on a fixed Per Acre Amount multiplied by the number of authorized irrigable acres across the two program years. Applicants who share ownership or water rights must certify equitable distribution of the received funds among all entitled parties. For questions or assistance, applicants can contact the TDA Grants Office by email at Grants@TexasAgriculture.gov or by phone at (512) 936-0247, (512) 463-2562 (Victor Flores), (512) 463-8215 (Emily Daly), or (512) 463-6507 (Emily Hirsh). More resources, including the application portal and FAQs, can be accessed on the official TDA website.