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Volume 18 Number 9
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Action Packed Weekend to finish phase one of the road work, and even put on hold the starting of phase two. Cantu expressed his gratitude, saying “That was a HUGE help” Without the help of TxDot, it would have been very unpleasant getting in and out of the Rodeo. The City Manager, Mark Milum confirmed this adding that TxDot was able to have Hwy 100 open for the whole Rodeo event, Thursday through Sunday. Larry Cantu says concerning the traffic, "Still had a lot of traffic... We'll try to make improvements on that."
Los Fresnos 4-H Group
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Emilio Flores Los Fresnos News
Swimming meet
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UTRGV awarded $1 million
Page 7
TSC Auto Body student takes pride in learning skills that can help his community
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Last week Los Fresnos held the 32nd Annual Los Fresnos Rodeo & Concert! As known by many as the Biggest Little Rodeo in Texas, and that it was! Having one of the best turnouts yet. Los Fresnos Rodeo Committee Chairman Larry Cantu says that it was "One of the record-breaking events we've had in a long time." He says that all three days they were sold out. Cantu expresses that he heard so much great feedback from both the performers and families that came out to the Rodeo. The Aaron Watson band, Cantu
says "loved Los Fresnos," He says that the local restaurants donated food to the guys and that they enjoyed all the great food. They told him they had too much of the great food here in Los Fresnos! And that the hospitality and fans were amazing. The Rodeo requires is a huge team effort, and that’s what is special about Los Fresnos, everyone comes together for this big event. The whole City is what makes the Los Fresnos Rodeo something spectacular. One thing that was of concern was the road work being done on Hwy 100. Larry Cantu comments that TxDot worked double-time
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Stands fully packed at the Los Fresnos Rodeo taken Sunday, February 20, 2022. Photo by Emilio Flores, Los Fresnos News
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for generations and they are just passing it down. All and all it was a great event, with one of the best turnouts and Larry Cantu says they are only more to come. He says that there will be several meetings in the coming months with lots of things to discuss including how they can improve for next year. In closing, Mayor Alejandro (Alex) Flores, sent in his thoughts concerning the Rodeo, here’s what he said: The past 2 years have been difficult living through the COVID 19 pandemic which has prevented us
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The stands were completely full, and spectators were in suspense during the whole show. The athletes all did great and put on a terrific show. They even expressed just how great the audience was. Saying that they love performing at the Los Fresnos Rodeo. Rodeo food is the best, and this year was no exception. Turkey legs, Kettle corn, funnel cakes, Philly cheesesteak sandwiches, and so much more! Plenty of music and carnival rides for the whole family. And don’t forget the Cameron County Livestock Contest! So many parents and instructors are involved to give the kids the opportunity to show their animals. For many, it has been something the families have been doing
from sharing moments with our community and loved ones. Although these times have been one of the greatest challenges our country has had to face, our 2022 Rodeo has reminded us of the resilience of our community to overcome obstacles and to return to normalcy. Experiencing this event with the community has been a breath of fresh air. Seeing people from all over coming together to celebrate such a well-coordinated event is a reminder that together we stand united and bring joy, cheer, and laughter in a time most needed. This proves that a good old fashion rodeo can soothe a heart and heal a soul. Now that we are back on the saddle again, I thank all of you that attended and look forward to seeing you next year!
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2 • March 2, 2022 • LOS FRESNOS NEWS
Los Fresnos 4-H Group Emilio Flores Los Fresnos News
Last week Los Fresnos held the 32nd Annual Los Fresnos Rodeo & Cameron County Livestock Contest! Known by many as the Biggest Little Rodeo in Texas.
A big part of the Rodeo is the Cameron County Livestock contest. The Los Fresnos 4-H leader, Eddie Cruz has been a 4-H Manager for 36 years. The longest 4-H Manager in the Cameron County area, and is very passionate about what he does for these kids.
He tells Los Fresnos News that this is something he loves doing for the kids. But it’s so much bigger than just him. He expresses the importance of the parents being dedicated to their kids as well. He says “Matter of fact, they (the some of
Eddie Cruz in black jacket, Judges: Clayton Gardovsky Cody Mayfield in the cowboy hats and the contestant receiving grand champion of the show, Nicholas Ruiz, and Parents Richie and Flor Vasquez.
the families) are driving up to San Antonio to the show up there.” “That’s parent commitment,” Cruz says. Cruz also mentions several of his previous students have been gone on to become veterinarians. Congratulations to
both, Nicholas Ruiz, who is a 7th grader attending Liberty Memorial Middle School, as well as Ryan Vasquez, a 3rd Grader that is attending Dora Romero Elementary. Ruiz received grand champion of the show, and Ryan Vazquez received reserved grand
champion of the show. Great job to both these kiddos along with all the students and kids that competed it was a great competition, these kids deserve all the credit. Pictures of other competitors will be posted on social media or the website.
4-H leader: Eddie Cruz in black jacket, Judges: Clayton Gardovsky Cody Mayfield in the cowboy hats, and the contestant receiving reserved grand champion, Ryan Vasquez. Parents are Richie and Flor Vasquez.
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CLERK OF THE COURT Sylvia Garza-Perez 974 E. HARRISON STREET BROWNSVILLE, TX 78520
ATTORNEY OF PERSON FILING THE CAUSE Arthur Eugene McCullough 323 E Jackson PO Box 2244 Harlingen TX 78551
THE STATE OF TEXAS In the County Court at Law IV of Cameron County, Texas To: UNKNOWN HEIRS, IF ANY OF Jose Antonio Garcia, Deceased, GREETINGS: You are commanded to appear and answer to the First Amended Application For Letters Of Administration And Determination Of Heirship, filed by Gabriela Olivia Maldonado, at or before 10 o’clock A.M. of the first Monday after the expiration of 10 days from the date of service of this citation, before the Honorable County Court at Law IV of Cameron County, at the Courthouse in Brownsville, Texas, Said First Amended Application For Letters Of Administration And Determination Of Heirship was filed on February 15, 2022. The file number of said Matter being No. 2020-CPC-00271 County Court at Law IV The Style being:
IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: Jose Antonio Garcia, Deceased, Deceased
The nature of said proceeding being substantially as follows, to wit: Determine who the heirs and only heirs of decedent are and their respective shares and interests in this estate; that no appraisers be appointed; and for all other relief to which applicant may be entitled. Issued on this the 16th day of February, 2022. Given under my hand and seal of said Court at Office in the City of Brownsville, Texas on this the 16th day of February, 2022. Sylvia Garza-Perez, Clerk Cameron County, Texas.
By _/s/Martin Obregon____, Deputy Martin Obregon
4 • March 2, 2022 • LOS FRESNOS NEWS
Swimming meet Falcons swimming & diving team competed at the State Swim & Diving Meet in Austin this weekend.
Congratulations to swimmers Jada, Ariana, Reiana, Angela & Jayden and diver Angel! Our Falcons competed
incredibly all season & were fantastic in representing the maroon & gold at State!
Flying High on Opening day! Los Fresnos Baseball kicks off the 2022 season on a high note By Ruben Rodriguez Los Fresnos News It is Baseball Time and Texas!! With the 2022 Baseball season officially underway, The Los Fresnos Falcons kicked off the new Season with a big win over Brownsville Pace 4-0. Coach Morales’ ball club looks to continue their winning ways heading into tournament play this weekend. So What’s on the tap for the Falcons in 2022? Well after a stellar 2021 season which consisted of an amazing playoff run to
the Regional Finals, Los Fresnos looks to punch their way to Round Rock and pick up right where they left off. Again Los Fresnos captured a big win on opening night over Brownsville Pace 4-0. In what is arguably a tough non-district schedule, some teams the Falcons will face this season include San Antonio Harlan, Cedar Park, and coastal bend powerhouse Corpus Christi Carroll. The Falcons will then begin 32-6A on March 8th against San Benito. With a tough schedule
overall, the Falcons look to make another deep run in the postseason. Talking about opening night, Los Fresnos took control from the start as Senior Mathew Padilla took control from the mound he fanned seven hitters throughout five innings. Hitting for the Falcons also came alive with nine hits by Los Fresnos, including a Sacrifice Fly Out brought a run in. Los Fresnos now looks ahead to tournament competition until District 32-6A Play on March 8th begins vs San Benito.
their District competition as they will face off against Rivera on February 25, then Weslaco on March 1st. Then back to back home games as Los Fresnos will host number one seed Harlingen on March 4, then Brownsville Hanna on March 8th. To round up the 32-6A Regular Season, The Lady Falcons will travel to Harlingen South to take on the Lady Hawks on March 11. Coming off a great postseason run in 2021 which ended in a Regional semifinal loss to Round Rock, The Lady Falcons finished with a 10-4 district
record as the number two seed. The Lady Falcons certainly hold the firepower to fight their way to the top seed of 32-6A. The current top four teams in District 32-6A include: 1. Harlingen, 2. Los Fresnos, 3. Donna North, 4. Brownsville Hanna, while Harlingen South is fighting for the 4th seed while currently sitting at 5th. With 32-6A being such a competitive District, Los Fresnos looks to try to capture a district title and pick up where they left off in 2021.
Lady Falcons Continue Rolling!
Photos from Los Fresnos CISD Athletics Twitter
By Ruben Rodriguez Los Fresnos News The Lady Falcons soccer team continues to maintain control as the number two seed in the District 32-6A Standings. Holding a solid 7-2 record, The Lady Falcons lone losses in district have been to Harlingen and Donna North recently. While on the winning side of things, Los Fresnos has had big shutout wins over Weslaco, Harlingen South and San Benito. In what has been a tough 32-6A schedule, Los Fresnos looks to continue
Photos from Los Fresnos CISD Athletics Twitter
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March 2, 2022 • LOS FRESNOS NEWS • 5
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The Next Chapter Poem Judge Not
A fire from Hell is anger, May I please not sear my soul. At times when I’m indignant, From the Path may I not stray. Others’ faults are my faults— I know that this is true, For the best way to live Is to love and forgive, And live through each day In HIS Heavenly Way. May I walk the Narrow Path— Let me free my heart from wrath.
The Next Chapter is a column featuring a serialized continuing short story/poems from a local author. You can submit your own original story for publication at news@laferianews.net.
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THEME: THE 1940s ACROSS 1. Decree 6. *U.S./U.S.S.R.’s cold one 9. Harry Potter’s mark 13. Syrup flavor 14. ____ Khan 15. Bird of prey’s nest 16. Lieu 17. H+, e.g.
18. Bashful or Happy 19. *”1984” author George 21. *Best-selling pop artist Bing 23. Writer ____ Monk Kidd 24. Genghis or Kubla 25. Cranberry habitat 28. Not nice 30. Saddle holders 35. *Boris Karloff’s movie
“The ____,” pl. 37. Actress Barrymore 39. Asian goat antelope 40. Supernatural life force 41. Seethes 43. South African antelope 44. Cook from above 46. Rotisserie part 47. Not odd 48. Italy in Italian
50. What snob puts on 52. .0000001 joule 53. Sound of a dropped tome 55. Beer acronym 57. *____ Doctrine, U.S. foreign policy 60. *”How Green Was My ____” 63. Another word for nutria 64. Ciao in the U.S. 66. Trip guide 68. Surveyor’s maps 69. Afflict 70. Will alternative 71. Additionally 72. Nucleic acid 73. Term of endearment
DOWN 1. Emergency acronym 2. *1949 international org. 3. Copycat 4. Chicken feet 5. Christian hymn (2 words) 6. Graveside sound 7. Gone by 8. TV’s Yellowstone, e.g. 9. Uses a Singer 10. Underwater hermit 11. Ethereal 12. Gridiron official, for short 15. Apollo Creed’s son 20. City in northern England 22. Old towel, e.g. 24. Rollerskater’s protector (2 words) 25. *Disney’s 1942 orphan 26. Abstractionism using optical illusion 27. Kind of salami 29. Crafts’ companion 31. Network of nerves 32. Treasure collection 33. Dreamer? 34. *Popular music style 36. Ship canvas 38. *1939-1945 42. Parallel grooves 45. Acid turns it red 49. “Bingo!” 51. Daryl Hannah’s 1984 movie 54. Open up 56. In spite of the fact, arch. 57. Church sound 58. Swedish shag rugs 59. Plotting 60. Velum, pl. 61. Zeal 62. New Haven University 63. IRS employee? 65. Yang’s opposite 67. Canny
6 • March 2, 2022 • LOS FRESNOS NEWS
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UTRGV Awarded One-Million Dollars Enhancing Physician Assistant Training for Mental Health, Substance Abuse Resources to Webb County
(UTRGV Photo by David Pike) By Karen Villarreal professor in the Physician Assistant program at RIO GRANDE UTRGV. VALLEY, TEXAS – While PA graduates FEB. 14, 2022 – Frank often are the only resource Ambriz and his students for uninsured and in the UTRGV physician underserved patients, they assistant program receive limited education know that, in medically in psychiatry and clinical underserved regions like training in behavior and the Rio Grande Valley, mental health. being prepared for some As director of a patients’ needs can be a grant-funded project challenge. called “Expanding and “Due to a chronic Enhancing Physician shortage of mental Assistant Education,” health providers, much Ambriz is updating the of the burden of mental UTRGV PA curriculum healthcare has shifted to to include mental health, primary care clinicians,” opioid and substance said Ambriz, department abuse, and medicationchair and clinical associate assisted treatment (MAT).
“With the right training, more healthcare professionals can help identify individuals in need of help with these issues,” he said.
The updated curriculum will address opioid misuse, including prescription opioids, heroin and fentanyl. “This has reached epidemic magnitude in the United States and resulted in more than 50,000 overdose deaths in 2019 around the country,” Ambriz said. The enhanced curriculum will serve the 100 students who entered the program at UTRGV in December 2021, 80 second-year PA students, and 80 capstone PA students.
ENHANCED CURRICULUM To help address the lack of PA training in mental healthcare, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded Ambriz almost $1.5 million. Additionally, the funding will allow him to develop and implement an approach to improve the wellness of PA students and faculty, he said.
COMMUNITY SERVICE Ambriz said that, in the past two academic years, 55 percent of the PA program’s graduates are practicing in medically underserved communities. With the program’s expansion, the students and graduates also will serve Webb County, a rural area made up of El Cenizo, Laredo, and Rio Bravo, where a third of the population lives in poverty
fear can be difficult in today’s 24-hour news cycle. While it is important to stay up to date on the latest recommendations from health officials, Tresnicky said it is important to not become overwhelmed by the constant stream of COVID-19 news, even as the pandemic potentially enters its waning stages. “Avoid too much exposure to news, this is so important,” she said. “Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories. It can be extremely upsetting to hear about the COVID-19 pandemic over and over.” With social distancing practices continuing to be one of the best ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Tresnicky said it is important to both realize when you need help managing your mental health as well as to reach out to others who may be struggling during this challenging time. “Connect with others while practicing social distancing. We are fortunate to have access to so many electronic methods of communication. Even writing letters to each other expressing your feelings will help,” she
said. “Share your concerns and how you are feeling with a friend or family member. Maintain healthy relationships, and build a strong support system. Seek help when needed – if emotional distress impacts your activities of daily life talk to a mental health professional or your personal physician.” As local residents hope for a transition to postpandemic life in the near future, Tresnicky urged an approach of slow transition to help cope with the trauma associated with living through two years of an unprecedented pandemic. “As we begin our reentry after the trauma of the COVID Pandemic it is important to recognize that it was a traumatic event experienced by everyone. Recognize that you mental health needs have drastically changed and be ready to reach out to your support system and seek help,” she said. “Be aware of what’s going on and focus on ways to address what you are feeling and prepare for your next step in dealing with the emotions. Remember, everyone reacts differently so go at your own pace as
– including 40 percent of children in the county. Fifty physician assistant students are expected to complete 150 clinical rotations at existing Webb County sites. “These are designated Health Profession Shortage
Areas for mental health around Laredo,” Ambriz said. “Through this grant, UTRGV will prepare its PAs to identify and treat mental illnesses that are having a negative impact on the patient’s quality of life.”
Frank Ambriz, department chair and clinical associate professor, UTRGV Physician Assistant program. (UTRGV Photo by Paul Chouy)
Maintaining Positive Mental Health Important as Pandemic Continues
HARLINGEN & BROWNSVILLE – As health and government officials both locally and throughout the nation now shift to managing what experts hope are the latter stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health experts are reminding the community that taking care of mental health remains a critical component to navigating challenging times. While hospitalizations related to the latest Omicron variant are on the decline throughout the Rio Grande Valley, it is important to realize that the pandemic will continue to impact daily life for some time. Such a realization for a public that has dealt with the pandemic for nearly two years can weigh heavily on mental health, said Becky Tresnicky, director of behavioral health services & performance excellence at Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville. “For everyone involved, acknowledging the negative emotions and the sadness or disappointment is very important. Remember, ignoring emotions is not the same as controlling them; it’s just suppressing
them,” she said. “It’s OK to admit that you are sad and disappointed.” Because the pandemic continues to evolve and be unpredictable in nature, fear of the unknown can cause a range of emotions that can take their toll on both mental health and quality of life, said Anthony Manuel, director of Valley BaptistHarlingen’s Geriatric Behavioral Health Unit. “Fear and anxiety regarding any disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in all of us. With COVID-19, we are still dealing with a lot of uncertainty. Our normally structured and safe living environments have been turned upside down for so long, which can lead to continued feelings of vulnerability and powerlessness,” she said. “We become victims and feel powerless over everyday events. But being able to cope with the fear and stress puts us back in control of things. It is important to take care of your basic needs and engage in healthy coping strategies.” Managing stress and
you begin to re-enter public activities.” For individuals who may be experiencing mental health challenges during the COVID-19 situation, the Texas Health and Human Services Department has established a toll-free COVID-19 mental health support line at (833) 986-1919. Those experiencing severe depression or suicidal/homicidal ideations should contact the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.
BREAKOUT BOX Mental health experts have offered these tips to help cope with the challenges we continue to experience during the COVID-19 pandemic: • Acknowledge your feelings. It's OK to take time to cry or express your feelings. • Reach out. If you feel lonely or isolated, contact someone. It may help to talk to a friend or family member about your feelings. Also, you may try doing something to help others. This takes your mind off your negative emotions and creates a sense of well-being as you help someone else.
• Don't abandon healthy habits: o Eat healthy meals o Get plenty of sleep o Include regular physical activity in your daily routine o Try deep-breathing exercises, meditation or yoga o Avoid excessive tobacco, alcohol and drug use • Be aware of how the media can produce undue stress, and adjust the time you spend reading news and social media • Listen to soothing music • Read a book • Be direct about what works for you and don’t feel guilty about adjusting at your own pace and remember that everyone is different and our responses depend on personal experiences and circumstances • Seek professional help if you need it… Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling persistently sad, anxious and depressed. You may be unable to sleep, irritable and hopeless, and unable to face routine daily activities. If these feelings continue, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional.
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8 • March 2, 2022 • LOS FRESNOS NEWS
TSC Auto Body student takes pride in learning skills that can help his community
TSC Auto Body student and Tipton Ford intern Carlos Rodriguez and his service dog Ike are expected to walk the commencement stage soon for Rodriguez’s fifth certificate from the college. BROWNSVILLE, Texas (February 21, 2022) - Four and counting…is the number of certificates Carlos Rodriguez has from Texas Southmost College. He is currently working
on his fifth and final certificate in Auto Body Repair to include with his others from TSC’s Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC), Automotive Technology,
Construction Technology and Commercial and Residential Electrician programs. “I should have done classes like these a long time ago,” said the 59-yearold. “I’ve always wanted to learn about the trades and TSC has some of the best.” The man of all trades has experienced what TSC has to offer since 2014 and opportunities like his recent internship with Tipton Ford in Brownsville is proof that it’s never too late to learn. “I’m a disabled, retired U.S. Marine and Army veteran and after officially leaving active duty in 2013, I needed a new chapter,” said the Brownsville native. “I came back home and TSC was here with open doors for me and my service dog, Ike.” Ike was assigned to Rodriguez to help warn him of oncoming panic and anxiety attacks and with his hearing impairment. Rodriguez jokes that Ike should also be receiving honorary certificates.
“Ike has sat with me through every class, every lab and has walked across the stage with me to receive every certificate,” he said. “I think that deserves recognition.” Rodriguez enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps immediately after high school in 1981 and served until 1985, before going on to own a flooring business in Dallas and enlisting in the Army National Guard from 2005 to 2013, where he served on deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. During his last years in the Army, Rodriguez also worked as an Army instructor training new soldiers. “I have taken the definition of retirement very seriously, but there is something about learning and gaining new skills that intrigues me,” said Rodriguez. “The demand for a skilled workforce in the trades is high right now, and it will always be, and I may be pushing 60, but these hands can still work, and this mind can still
learn.” Over the last seven years that Rodriguez has been enrolled at TSC, he has been able to apply what he learns in the classroom with hands-on training provided by each program, but his favorite part yet, has been working at Tipton Ford. “Not only am I getting taught by some of the best in the classroom, but I’m also learning and working with some of the best in the industry,” he said. “Being able to experience the different areas of an auto body shop is invaluable.” Rodriguez added he still has a lot to offer his community and after him and Ike earn a certificate in Auto Body Repair next fall, he plans on using the skills he has learned over the last seven years to serve the residents of his hometown and the Rio Grande Valley. “My next chapter in life is volunteering. I will volunteer my skills to help improve lives,” he said. “The first step in my new endeavor is to seek
out organizations like Habitat for Humanity, where I know I can make a difference.” TSC’s Auto Body Repair program is two semesters and offers a certificate of completion. The program prepares students to become entry-level auto body repair technicians and provides hands-on training in areas such as the use or repair of steel, plastic, fiber-reinforced plastics and aluminum along with acquiring skills in welding, structural analysis, estimates, refinishing and computerized measuring systems. All training reinforces technical training and safety procedures by implementing the InterIndustry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) Professional Development Program. For more information about TSC’s Auto Body Repair program, visit tsc. edu
Avocado shortage spotlights need for strong bilateral supply chain Texas, U.S. economies benefit from avocado importation
The recent ban on Mexican avocado imports showed the importance of a strong bilateral Mexico-U.S. supply chain. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo).jpg
Written by Paul Schattenberg The recent ban on Mexican avocado importation into the U.S. has highlighted the importance of a strong bilateral supply chain that promotes economic growth and prosperity for both countries, said Texas A&M AgriLife experts. Inspections of Mexican avocados were halted recently after a U.S. inspector was threatened in the Mexican state of Michoacan. And while the issue of providing additional security for U.S. inspectors was resolved in a week and inspections began again, the incident showed the ripple effect of potential disruptions in the U.S.Mexico supply chain. Avocado demand and imports
A 2020 study by the Agribusiness, Food and Consumer Economics Research Center, AFCERC, in the Department of Agricultural Economics of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University demonstrates how avocado imports benefit both the Texas and U.S. economy. “Domestic production, which is primarily in California and Florida, can only meet about onetenth of the U.S. demand for avocados,” said Gary Williams, Ph.D., professor of agricultural economics and codirector of AFCERC. To meet the everincreasing demand, the U.S. imports avocados from other countries, especially Mexico, which provides about 90% of the U.S. supply. It also imports
avocados from Peru, the Dominican Republic, Chile and Colombia. Despite the fact that Texas produces no avocados, the avocado trade is important to the state, Williams said. “That is because a major share of the rapidly growing U.S. imports of avocados pass through Texas land ports and are warehoused, wholesaled and distributed by Texas food companies,” he said. Avocado imports help Texas, U.S. economy Oral Capps, Ph.D., AFCERC co-director and endowed chair in the Department of Agricultural Economics, noted that over the past two decades there has been a 240% surge in U.S. per capita consumption of fresh avocados.
The AFCERC study shows a large percentage of the rapidly growing volume of avocado imports into the U.S. come through Texas ports, making a positive impact on the Texas economy. Most of the economic benefit from the imports is accrued by wholesale, retail and service industries at the state and national level. Williams also noted the Mexican Hass Avocado Import Association, MHAIA, is based in the Dallas area, and many Texas agribusinesses are involved in importing and selling avocados in Texas and throughout the U.S. MHAIA partners with Mexican avocado producers and packers to market and promote U.S. consumption of Mexican avocados. Avocado imports from Mexico have made a substantial contribution to the U.S. economy as they move along the import supply chain. These imports generate multiplier effects along intersecting supply chains and adding to U.S. output, value-added income, jobs and taxes. In Texas alone, avocado imports in 2019-2020 generated over $510 million in economic activity and nearly 2,500 jobs. What happened during the ban? Luis Ribera, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife
Extension Service economist and director of Texas A&M’s Center for North American Studies, said Mexican avocados that had already been inspected were allowed to be shipped to the U.S. “Soon there were clear indications of tightening supplies and of importers looking for alternative suppliers in the event the ban became protracted,” Ribera said. “The situation also demonstrated how an unexpected disruption in the U.S.-Mexico supply chain could impact other agricultural imports from Mexico.” As a result of a longer ban, Williams said, avocado prices, which have risen steadily over the past two decades, would have likely spiked and remained higher until the ban was lifted or alternative suppliers were found. “If the suspension had been continued, we would probably have seen a sharp price increase as Mexican imports dwindled and wholesalers and retailers sought out other avocado-producing countries to help fill the supply gap,” he said. “However, both the U.S. and Mexico had a strong economic interest in resuming avocado trade, so they acted with all deliberate speed to provide the needed security for U.S. inspectors in
Michoacan.”
Other info on Mexican avocados The 2020 AFCERC analysis of U.S. avocado imports for the MHAIA also showed how Mexican Haas avocado imports benefit the entire U.S. economy. The Haas variety, which accounts for 85-90% of all avocados imported by the U.S., provided these benefits: — $6.5 billion in U.S. economic output. — $4 billion in added value to the U.S. gross domestic product, GDP. — $2.2 billion in U.S. labor income. — $1.1 billion in taxes. — 33,051 jobs for U.S. workers. In Mexico, avocado production is responsible for the creation of more than 78,000 direct and permanent jobs as well as more than 310,000 indirect and seasonal jobs. “Avocados provide a productive living for many people in an area of Mexico that was once one of the largest sources of migrant workers in the U.S.,” Williams said. “There are about 29,000 avocado growers and 65 packers in Mexico, with the vast majority cultivating less than 5 acres of land. So that means it’s primarily small family farms and not large agricultural operations that benefit from Mexican avocado production and exports.”