Leadership Mid Valley introduced to Valley Agriculture Industry

Leadership Mid Valley is an annual educational program sponsored by the Weslaco Area Chamber of Commerce.  Thirteen young professional Weslaco men and women who have demonstrated leadership abilities in their careers are selected to participate in the year-long program. 

Recently, the class went on an agricultural tour including visits to three very important sites. The group was welcomed at Interstate Fruit and Vegetable Company in Donna, Texas.  Plant Manager Todd Jones guided the group through the facility where the citrus is processed and packaged for worldwide distribution. This was followed by a visit to the W.R. Cowley Sugar House in Santa Rosa, Texas.  CEO Steve Bearden guided the group through Valley sugarcane history and showed how cane plants are processed into raw sugar. The group then traveled to the TAMU Citrus Center in Weslaco for a hands-on tour with Dr. John de Graca.

The tour concluded with dinner sponsored by John Lackey of Lackey Financial Management followed by an informative presentation on water resources by Jo Jo White, Hidalgo County Water District #9 Manager.