Lower Rio Grande Valley Soil Testing Campaign kickoff

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in the Lower Rio Grande Valley is offering its annual soil testing campaign that started Oct. 1 and will run through Feb. 28. A kickoff event will be held Oct. 16 from 8:30 a.m.-noon at the AgriLife Extension center in Weslaco.

All commercial agricultural producers in Hidalgo, Cameron and Willacy counties are encouraged to take part in this free soil testing campaign to help the environment and their bottom lines. The annual soil testing campaign has been instrumental in reducing excess nutrients from entering the Arroyo Colorado. This will be the 14th year of the soil testing campaign.

Agricultural producers can pick up soil sample bags and forms from AgriLife Extension offices in Willacy and Hidalgo counties and the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Weslaco, 2415 E. U.S. Highway 83 in Weslaco.

Producers in Cameron County are asked to pick up sample bags and forms at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency office, 2315 W. Expressway 83, in San Benito.

Samples can then be dropped off at the Willacy and Hidalgo county AgriLife Extension offices for shipping to the laboratory at Texas A&M University in College Station, all at no cost to producers. Results will then be mailed back directly to producers. Cameron County producers can return their samples to the Farm Service Agency office in San Benito.

For more information about the Arroyo Colorado watershed, visit arroyocolorado.org. For more information about the soil testing program or the kickoff event, contact the AgriLife Extension county office in Hidalgo, Cameron or Willacy counties.