Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González
On July 18, 2025, Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz and Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced the delivery of emergency drought relief to Rio Grande Valley farmers through the 1944 Water Treaty Agricultural Assistance Program. The funding stems from a $280 million grant agreement between the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), designed to help South Texas producers recover from severe water shortages due to Mexico’s failure to comply with the longstanding treaty.
During a press conference held in the Citrus Mutual building in Mission, Texas, Commissioner Miller acknowledged De La Cruz’s pivotal role in securing the aid. “She’s the reason we’re here. She made this happen. This was her baby,” Miller said. “I’m just the mule that pulls the wagon. She’s the one who loaded the wagon.” Miller detailed the application and review process, noting that more than 1,800 applications were approved, thereby reaching smaller farms that were previously unable to navigate the paperwork.
The relief amounts to approximately $351 per acre and is expected to benefit over 800,000 acres across the region. “It’s going to come out to about $351 an acre.” Miller said, “We expect to have the money in hand from the USDA on Tuesday, July 22. So, Wednesday morning, those checks will be in the mail.”
De La Cruz addressed the crowd with a message that combined accountability, advocacy, and a commitment to future resilience. “When I first started in my first term, all the farmers were talking about was the 1944 water treaty and the devastation that had been happening, not just recently, but over the last 80 years,” she said. “Over the last 80 years in prior leadership, before this position in Washington, D.C., nothing had been done.”
She highlighted the critical nature of this funding, stating, “Out of the $10 billion that was allocated federally, we were the only area that had a carve out of $280 million. And I’m so humbled to hear from my farmers and ranchers how this became their lifeline.”
The congresswoman was joined by farmers Dale Murden and Frank Schuster, who received the first two award letters during the event. Murden, visibly emotional, praised the support. “Agriculture in the Valley is in serious straits right now. This could not have come at a better time and a better blessing,” he said. “Had it not been for this, we would’ve probably shared the same path that sugar cane shared.”
Schuster, a long-time agricultural leader in the region, echoed the sentiment. “I want to thank Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz for all of your efforts. This does come at a very needed time—and it’s already been spent,” he quipped, drawing laughter from the audience. “With the agenda that I understand you have for agriculture, I think South Texas will soon have another person in Congress who is known by their first name.”
De La Cruz reaffirmed her vision for the region’s agricultural future, pledging to fight for long-term structural solutions. “My next goal is to get the 1944 Water Treaty into the USMCA,” she said. “We need consequences for the future, and we must ensure consistency for our farmers and ranchers when it comes to water.”
Commissioner Miller closed the event by holding up what he referred to as the “Big Fat Check,” symbolizing the largest single agricultural relief effort he’s ever overseen. “This community, this area of the state is going to have $280 million sent to its farmers,” Miller said. “This is representative of the good work that Congresswoman De La Cruz has done.”
The distribution of checks is scheduled to begin as soon as the USDA transfers the funding to the state.
With her role in securing the funding now firmly established, De La Cruz signaled that this relief marks the beginning of a stronger commitment to the region’s economic and agricultural vitality. “Under my watch,” she said, “we will not lose another industry.”
