Our History

The Citrus Center originated in the mid-1940's when a group of local citizens and citrus growers approached the then Texas College of Arts & Industries, Kingsville, with the idea of establishing a research and training facility specializing in citriculture for the Lower Rio Grande Valley. In 1947 the original campus site and research farm was purchased with funds contributed by the citrus industry and other community institutions. Buildings were acquired from the deactivated Harlingen Air Base and by 1948 the Center was in operation. In the 1960's with the help of the Jones-Collier foundation the 200 acre South Research Farm was added.

Citrus Center 1951	Citrus Center 1952
Citrus Center 1962	Citrus Center 1970

The A&I Development Foundation property in Hidalgo County consists of two parcels of land, 36 and 26 acres. These lie adjacent to and are integrated with the operation of the South Research Farm. The properties were purchased in February 1974 and March 1977 respectively. Purchase of the property was facilitated by low interest loans from the Valley Agricultural Research and Development Corporation whose purpose in making the loans was to enhance the research resources of the Citrus Center. The loans were paid to maturity with income generated by the Citrus Center from the management and cultivation of orchards on the property.

From 1984 until 2004, a 40-acre farm north of Mission was leased to the Center by the Looney family. This has been replaced by a 50-acre farm in Monte Alto leased from Rio Farms Inc.

In 1990, Texas A&I University merged with the Texas A&M University, acquired its present name and strengthened its administrative and operational ties with the nearby Texas A&M Agricultural Research and Extension Center.

Citrus Center 1992	Citrus Center 1997

The Center has four scientists, 28 other state-funded and a variable number of grant-funded employees.

Directors of the Citrus Center

P.W. Rohrbaugh 1948-1963	Richard A. Hensz 1964-1994	J. Victor French 1994-1996 (Interim)

 

Center Directors
Agricultural Research-Extension Center &
Citrus Center

Jose M. Amador 1991-2005	John V. da Graça 2005-2006 (Interim)	J. Michael Gould 2006-present

Deputy Center Directors
Agricultural Research-Extension Center &
Citrus Center

Dariusz Swietlik 1996-1998	Gary McBryde 1998-1998 (Interim)	John V. da Graça 1999-Present