flavor that only New Mexico chile can offer.” With the mounting challenges chile farmers face today, it’s imperative they have access to the help and support they need to navigate this complicated climate. And one of the most pressing issues? Water rights. New Mexico is currently entangled in a longstanding legal dispute with Texas over Rio Grande River water allocations, a fight with profound implications for chile growers. As surface‐water allowances for irrigation continue to shrink, producers must make up the difference by pumping groundwater at a steep cost. These added pumping costs create economic strain for all farmers, especially those operating on smaller acreage. “These farmers are the heart and soul of chile production in New Mexico,” he said. “They’ve spent decades perfecting their craft and keeping our history alive.” Chile acreage has fallen significantly in recent decades—from 34,000 acres in the early 1990s to around 8,000 today, according to the New Mexico Department of Agriculture. But there’s a reason the state is known as the Land of Enchantment. “You can’t find chiles like this anywhere else in the world,” said Ogaz. The hot days and cool nights— often swinging as much as 30 degrees in a single day—along with high-elevation desert terrain and volcanic, mineral-rich soils, yield a chile with a perfectly balanced heat-to-sweetness ratio that’s nearly impossible to replicate elsewhere. However, new regulations threaten to make the industry’s path forward even steeper. Ogaz voiced concerns about the state’s proposed Heat Illness and Injury Prevention (HIIP) Rule, warning that while well-intended, it could place additional strain on an already challenged labor system and increase operational costs for growers. Another major focus is gaining a deeper understanding of what makes New Mexico chile unique through genetics and scientific research. NMCA continues its longstanding partnership with New Mexico State University’s Chile Pepper Institute, one of the only research centers in the world solely dedicated to chile, to help validate the crop’s distinct DNA and scientifically demonstrate why it deserves recognition and protection.
Ogaz and Dominguez say their ultimate goal is to unite chile farmers from every corner of New Mexico around shared priorities—strengthening the local workforce, investing in the next generation and keeping the industry rooted in the state. “We want the industry to stay here and thrive,” Ogaz said. “That means creating more opportunities for people in our communities.” For NMCA’s leadership, it all comes down to preserving a sacred legacy and ensuring New Mexico’s chile industry continues to grow, innovate and endure for generations to come.
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31 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com September | October 2025
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