HARLINGEN — It was another successful year for the first bale of cotton in the nation which sold for $16,600 including add-ons and donations at the First Bale Auction and Scholarship Fundraiser on Sept. 14.
The official certified first bale of cotton in the United States was delivered to Harlingen Gin Company by Wyatt Agri Products.
The bale was sold to Bayer CropScience, Cris Warren, Helena Chemical Co. and Wilbur-Ellis Company for $9,000.
Add-ons starting at $1,000 were contributed by First Community Bank, Texas Regional Bank, Elliff Motors and Neuhaus & Company. Kathy Wolfe also donated $600 to the first bale.
Wyatt Agri Products received the $3,000 reward from the Harlingen Cotton Committee for the first bale weighing 1,680 pounds. They donated the $3,000 reward back to the first bale of cotton after the event.
Harlingen Cotton Committee, along with matching funds from the Lozano-Long Foundation, has donated more than $70,000 to students attending the Agricultural Technology Program at TSTC.
This year, the Harlingen Cotton Committee presented a check for $10,000 to TSTC representatives during the event.
The Lozano-Long Foundation will match those funds bringing the total scholarship to $20,000 to support students actively pursuing a degree in an agricultural-related field.
For over 40 years the Algodón Club of Harlingen has held a silent auction to raise funds for additional scholarships awarded to graduating high school students pursuing a degree in agriculture in Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy County.
This year the Algodón Club awarded $30,000 for the 2017-2018 school year to the following scholarship recipients: Cameron Chappell, Cole Charvat, Colton Neuhaus, Kennedy Boykin, Sierra Rhodes, Samantha Camara, Juliana Guerrero, Alec Macmanus and Morgan Waters.
The final ginned and baled cotton was delivered to the TSTC Cultural Arts Center and auctioned at the event.
Titanium Sponsors of the event were Boggus Ford; Capital Farm Credit; First Community Bank; Rio Grande Valley Sugar Growers, Inc.; Texas Farm Credit and Willacy Co-op.
Gold Sponsors of the event were RGV Gin Co. LLC – Bob Duncan; CI Logistics, LLC; Rio Grande Equipment Co.; Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association; Texas Regional Bank and VTX1 Communications, LLC.
For more information regarding the First Bale Auction & Scholarship Fundraiser, contact the Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce at (956) 423-5440.
