FIRST BALE OF COTTON AUCTION
AND SCHOLARSHIP FUNDRAISER
The certification of the first bale of cotton grown in the United States by the Harlingen Cotton Committee reflect both the unique growing conditions and rich history of agriculture in the Rio Grande Valley.The first bale auction is a yearly event hosted by the Harlingen Cotton Committee and The Algodon Club. The proceeds generated by this event help fund scholarships for local youth who are pursuing agriculture related degrees.
THE FIRST BALE OF COTTON
Auction and Scholarship Fundraiser
September 15, 2022
6:00PM
Casa del Sol Harlingen, TX
This event will feature both a live and silent auction.
Refreshments and appetizers will be served.
In addition a raffle will be conducted during the auction for the winners choice of an exciting vacation for two.
The tradition of certifying the nation’s First Bale of the year dates back to the 1800’s when the grower of the First Bale was required to transport the cotton to the Houston Cotton Exchange for certification. After verifying its status as the first bale of cotton to be harvested that year in the United States, the Exchange would put the bale up for auction. This process continued, uninterrupted, for many years until 1953, when the Harlingen Cotton Committee successfully petitioned the Houston Cotton Exchange for the rights to auction the First Bale. As a result of this hallmark agreement, for the past 60 years the Harlingen Cotton Committee of the Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce has been solely responsible for certifying the nation’s First Bale of cotton each year. And for each of those 60 years, the First Bale has been grown in the fertile Rio Grande Valley
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U.S. Senator John Cornyn