Editing Lyford, Texas (section)

==Economy==

Lyford's economic fortunes have been linked intimately with that of Mexico's after NAFTA went into effect on January 1, 1994. Prior to ratification of this agreement, economic activity in Lyford was centered on agriculture. Since then economic activity has diversified with the opening of a second convenience store.

In addition to the industrial activity, there is a retail sector that is dependent on purchases made by wealthy and middle-class Mexican consumers from Monterrey (connected to Reynosa by toll road) and Tampico. According to Cynthia Brown, director of UTPA's Center for Border Economic Studies, Mexicans invested $1.4 billion into the economy and paid for 41,000 jobs[1]. In 2003, the Rio Grande Valley showed a 13.3 percent increase from 2002 sales, topping $10 billion according to a report compiled by the Rio Grande Valley Partnership/Chamber of Commerce.