Heinrich, Luján Welcome Almost Half A Million In Federal Investments To Support Chile Research At NMSU

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) are welcoming $477,074 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to support research at New Mexico State University (NMSU) focused on ways to increase the nutritional quality and yield of chile in New Mexico and across the United States.

“Whether you like red, green or Christmas, New Mexico chile is second to none. As one of the top chile producers in the country, our state’s signature crop is an economic driver and a culinary and cultural staple,” said Heinrich. “Thanks to this federal funding, researchers at NMSU will continue to lead the way in research that will benefit chile growers in our state and consumers of New Mexico chile all across our nation.”

“An essential trademark, New Mexico chile and the farmers who grow them contribute so much to our state’s economy, culture, and cuisine,” said Luján. “I am proud to announce this funding, which will help the world-class researchers at NMSU empower New Mexico farmers and improve their produce so that consumers across the country can enjoy this New Mexican delicacy.”

This grant was provided by the USDA’s Plant Breeding and Cultivar Development program, which funds research leading to the release of crop varieties which have better productivity, quality, and tolerance to environmental variability. Researchers at NMSU will use these funds to develop chile varieties with improved fruit morphology, nutritional quality, and yield through a deeper understanding of the genetic basis underlying these traits.