Category Archives: Agriculture

Villita Avocados Makes U.S. Produce History

Villita Avocados Inc.

This week, avocado grower and distributor Villita Avocados Inc. in Pharr is making history in the produce industry, fulfilling orders utilizing specially made mesh produce bags that are 100 percent compostable.  “We will be the first avocado company to come out with a 100 percent compostable, 100 percent plastic-free avocado bag in North America,” said Rob Ybarra, executive vice president of Villita. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the United…

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Red Snapper Fishing Closes Early 

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will close red snapper fishing in state waters on Nov. 20, at 11:59 p.m. until Jan. 2024. Federal waters remain closed until the summer. “While we are disappointed to close state waters earlier than we had hoped, the pattern of prolonged federal seasons highlights the success of Texas’ state-managed red snapper fishery,” said Robin Riechers, TPWD Coastal Fisheries Division director. “This year, anglers had a…

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Nicho’s Keeps Its Word & Sees Growth

At 2 a.m., the first trucks are leaving and on their way to Laredo, Alice and Corpus Christi. They are filled with all varieties of fruits and vegetables that have made their way to Nicho Produce in Edinburg from California, Mexico and origins further south. The skies are seeing the first glimmers of light when the remainder of the 30-plus truck fleet is leaving Nicho’s just off north Closner. Those…

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Texas Oyster Season Opens Nov. 1

Texas Oyster Season

Per regulation, the Texas commercial and recreational public oyster harvest season opens Nov. 1 and closes April 30, 2024. In an effort to protect and restore oyster reefs showing signs of environmental stress, many shellfish harvest areas will be closed to fishing at the beginning of this season. “Working in partnership with stakeholders, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department continues to prioritize the importance of healthy oyster reefs for both commercial…

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UTRGV Launches AgDiscovery Program

Cristina Villalobos, professor in the UTRGV School Of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, speaks with students during the AgDiscovery Program opening ceremony. (photo Paul Chouy, UTRGV)

UTRGV held a special event June 11 to kick off its new AgDiscovery Program, in which 12 area high school students will engage in hands-on learning workshops, behind-the-scenes tours, laboratory and field exercises, and a variety of character- and team-building activities. The event was the beginning of the free summer outreach program, introducing students to the potential of careers in plant and soil sciences, food inspection and distribution, natural resources and…

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Farm Fest Raises Historical Awareness

Victoria Eschete, right, and students Xandira Rodriguez, Hailey Eschete and Kaitlyn Hendricks, are working to promote the upcoming South Texas Farm Fest in Mercedes.

Mercedes was one of the first Rio Grande Valley cities established between Brownsville and the Starr County communities of Roma and Rio Grande City. There was the American Rio Grande Land & Irrigation Company setting up operations in what would become Mercedes in 1909. The land company and its investors brought one of the first east-west railroad extensions from Brownsville to Mercedes and into the heart of what would become…

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Pharr To Host Produce Season Celebration

The City of Pharr and the Pharr International Bridge will host a special event “A Taste of Trade” to initiate the start of the 2022-2023 produce season on Oct. 6. The event, which is open to the public, includes produce growers, importers, distributors and consumers from the United States and Mexico. The annual “Start of the Produce Season” event takes place from 10 a.m. to noon at the Pharr International…

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Commercial Gulf Shrimp Season Opens July 15

shrimp

The Gulf of Mexico commercial shrimp season for both state and federal waters will reopen 30 minutes after sunset on July 15. Biologists evaluate the biological, social and economic impact when deciding the opening date to maximize the benefits to the industry and the public. In making its determination, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Coastal Fisheries Division used the best available data from samples collected during routine trawls and…

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TSC Launches Agriculture and Agribusiness Programs

TSC will open the Rio Grande Valley’s only two-year agriculture program this fall. Students will be able to earn an associate degree in Agriculture or Agribusiness. (photo TSC)

Job opportunities in the agriculture sector are increasing in Texas, and with no other two-year agriculture program in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas Southmost College is filling the need with its new Agriculture and Agribusiness programs beginning fall 2022.  “Whenever we consider creating a new program, we look into the demand, the job opportunities in that particular field and after extensive research, we found that there are diverse opportunities in…

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Pharr To Host Start Of The Produce Season

The Pharr International Bridge is the site for "A Taste of Trade" on Oct. 6. (courtesy)

The Pharr International Bridge will host a special event to initiate the start of the 2021-2022 Produce Season Oct. 7. Officials invite the public to celebrate alongside produce growers, importers, distributors, and consumers from the United States and Mexico. The annual “Start of the Produce Season” event begins at 10 a.m. at the bridge, 9900 South Cage Blvd. “The Pharr International Bridge continues to remain the number-one produce gateway in the…

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