WESLACO – Because of the amount of rain the Rio Grande Valley has seen this year, the Texas Department of Agriculture will be lenient with the Boll Weevil Eradication Program.

The program gives fines to cotton producers who don’t destroy and plow their cotton by September 1.

TDA spokesman Mark Loeffler says many fields have already been destroyed with the heavy storms.

The agency is offering an extension to those who have not been able to destroy their fields.  

"It's helped the farmers down there. They can make some tremendous crops in the Valley now without having to worry about boll weevils. But, it is a battle and one of the key components of the eradication program is having a host-free period where there's no stalks for weevils to feed or reproduce in," says Lindy Patton with the Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation.

For more information or to apply, call TDA at 512-463-7476.

Watch the video above for more information.