Residents of Edcouch, Elsa, La Villa and Monte Alto will soon see the fruits of the Delta Region Revitalization Project’s laborious efforts to revitalize the economies of these communities.  In early October at a press conference in Edcouch, Texas, Congressman Rubén Hinojosa announced a $500,000 commitment from the U. S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) for funding to construct the proposed Delta Mercado, an outdoor market that will encourage innovative entrepreneurship and infuse commercial activity in the area.
The Delta Mercado is one of the strategies outlined in a long-term, regional comprehensive strategic plan that was funded by EDA in July 2003.  After two years of planning, the implementation phase of the Project has commenced.  The Delta Mercado will be located in Edcouch, Texas, and will offer residents the opportunity to own their own micro-businesses as vendors of various locally-produced and imported goods and products such as jewelry, art, crafts, pottery, fruits and vegetables. 
The EDA University Center provided technical assistance to the Project’s newly-formed Delta Region Revitalization Corporation in writing the proposal to EDA for this project.  In addition, the EDA UC will continue to assist the Corporation on this and other strategies as outlined in the strategic plan.