New Mexico Agriculture: Chile, Pecans, Dairies & Onions
New Mexico leads U.S. chile, ranks #2 in pecans, and is home to the world’s largest single cheese plant. Explore fast facts and classroom resources.
New Mexico Agriculture: Chile, Pecans, Dairies & Onions
Why New Mexico agriculture matters
From world-famous chile peppers and desert-adapted dairies to pecan orchards and onions, New Mexico blends science-driven innovation with arid-land stewardship. University and industry partnerships (like NMSU’s Chile Pepper Institute) help producers compete on quality and resilience in tough environments.
Snapshot: the essential facts
- Chile peppers: New Mexico is #1 in U.S. chile production, providing ~44% of national output. NMSU’s Chile Pepper Institute develops ‘NuMex’ varieties (e.g., NuMex Big Jim, NuMex Joe E. Parker, NuMex Heritage 6-4).
- Pecans:#2 in U.S. pecan production (~32% of national total); about 70% come from the Mesilla Valley (Doña Ana County).
- Angora goats:#3 in the U.S., with ~6,000 head, valued for mohair fiber.
- Cheese & dairy:#4 in U.S. cheese production and home to the world’s largest single cheese plant (Southwest Cheese, Clovis). NM dairies typically reuse water 3–5× (drinking, cooling, sanitation, flushing, then irrigation).
- Onions:#5 in U.S. onion production, over half of the nation’s summer onions; NMSU’s ‘NuMex’ onion varieties are bred for Southwest conditions.
From numbers to impact: how New Mexico’s farm economy shows up
Food
New Mexico chile anchors salsas and sauces used nationwide; pecans and onions uplift retail and foodservice menus. Cheese production supports supermarket dairy cases and industrial ingredients.
Feed & fiber
Dairy by-products and locally grown forages support milk output, while Angora goats contribute mohair for textiles, adding niche value to rangeland systems.
Water-smart operations
Dairy and specialty crop systems emphasize water reuse, soil health, drip irrigation, and saline-tolerant varieties, maximizing every acre-inch in arid conditions.
Research advantage
NMSU breeding programs and industry partners help scale resilient genetics (‘NuMex’ lines) and best practices that translate into higher quality and predictable yields.
The human side: family farms and local plants
From multigeneration pecan growers in the Mesilla Valley to dairy teams and onion sheds, agriculture supports year-round jobs in orchards, plants, trucking, maintenance, and cold chain logistics across southern and eastern NM.
Support the producers behind these numbers
Farm Bureau membership is a simple way to back New Mexico’s farm and ranch families. Members help advance commonsense ag policy, strengthen rural communities, and expand classroom resources. Benefits may vary by state program.
What membership supports:
- Advocacy, a grassroots voice on water, land, markets, and transportation.
- Education, ag-in-the-classroom, scholarships, and leadership programs.
- Community, county Farm Bureaus, service projects, and local events.
Join New Mexico Farm Bureau: https://www.nmflb.org/join Not in New Mexico? Find your state Farm Bureau: https://www.fb.org/about/get-involved
Through our partnership with the New Mexico Farm Bureau, we’re proud to support New Mexico farmers with tools designed for real-world operations. As part of this partnership, New Mexico Farm Bureau members receive exclusive Gripp pricing, helping operations digitize records, streamline daily work, and stay audit-ready, without adding complexity.
Learn more about Farm Bureau pricing.
