Agriculture
The Rio Grande Valley is globally know for more than 40 crops; primarily cotton, citrus, corn, grain sorghum, sugar cane and melons. (information from www.rgvtexas.com/agriculture)
Cotton
While cotton was grown in the Valley in the 1890’s, it did not reach commercial production levels until the
1920’s. Today cotton is one of the most visible crops, as it often constitutes the largest percentage of agricultural acreage devoted to one crop. (information from www.rgvtexas.com/agriculture)
The tradition of the First Bale of cotton contest dates back to the 1800’s when the grower of the first bale would be required to transport the cotton to Houston for certification. In 1953, the Harlingen Cotton Committee received sanction from the Houston Stock Exchange to hold the contest in Harlingen each year. For many years prior to 1953 the first bale was auctioned by the Houston Cotton Exchange. In the spring of 1953 at a meeting at the Little Creek Motel a program was outlined for Harlingen to purchase the first bale of cotton and the Harlingen Cotton Committee was born. Harlingen has continued to auction the first bale of cotton grown in the United States ever since 1953. Records show that the earliest bale grown since 1896 was May 21, 1921 by Ernest Matz of San Benito. The latest arrival of the first bale was in 1903 when it arrived on August 7th.
Vegetables
Some of the major vegetable and melon crops grown in the Rio Grande Valley include cabbage, watermelons, onions, carrots, peppers, broccoli, cantaloupes and honeydew melons. (www.rgvtexas.com/agriculture)
Citrus
(information from www.rgvtexas.com/agriculture)
The citrus industry provides a powerful cash crop as well as scenic fields of orange, grapefruit, tangerine, lemon and lime trees and hybrids that keep the taste buds guessing. Valley grapefruit has the distinction of being redder, sweeter and juicer than those grown in other parts of the country.
Because of the exceptional quality, Valley-grown citrus has gained a prominent share of the national market. It is a unified industry that has survived several major freezes since 1949. Several years ago motorists looked off of overpasses onto rows of shriveled, brown victims of the 1989 freeze. However, citrus is back in full force, evidenced by the number of roadside vendors.