First Bale Harvested Fetches $24,000 For Scholarship Fund

AL FAVA

HARLINGEN, TEXAS

 The official certified first bale of U.S.-grown cotton harvested in 2025 was auctioned for $24,500 at the annual First Bale Auction and Scholarship Fundraiser held by the Harlingen Cotton Committee and the Algodon Club on September 25th.

 Flores Farms Joint Venture in Brownsville, Texas, delivered the first harvested bale to Willamar Cotton and Grain on June 24 for processing. The 2,850-pound module was taken from a field planted by Teofilo Flores, Jr., on Feb. 10 to the Deltapine brand variety, DP 1646 B2XF. Michael Flores of Flores and Son Farms in Brownsville harvested the field. The Flores family has been farming in Texas for four generations.

 The bale was purchased together by Bayer Crop Science and Simplot Grower Solutions for $15,000. Add-ons from the following companies increased the bale auction total to $24,500.

• ●Capital Farm Credit $2000
• ●Rio Bank $500
• ●Texas Farm Credit $2000
• ●CropGuard Insurance $2000
• ●Helena Chemical $1500
• ●Adams Farms $1000

 In all, the bale auction and scholarship fundraiser raised over $93,000 to benefit students from the Rio Grande Valley pursuing studies in agriculture and trades. 

 For more information about the First Bale Auction, please visit the Harlingen Cotton Committee Facebook page or algodonclub.com.   ∆

AL FAVA