More information is available at the Chili Pepper Institute. www.chilepepperinstitute.org

New Mexico State University

There is no chile variety called “Hatch Chile”.  There is only chile grown IN the Hatch Valley but there is no specific variety that was developed and called by that name.  The Hatch valley has produced and continues to produce a lot of chile  The varieties that were originally grown in the valley were New Mexico chile varieties.  The most popular being New Mexico 6-4, NuMex Big Jim, NuMex Joe E. Parker, NuMex Sandia & others.

Many people eat and hear of Hatch chile but may not realize that what they are eating or hearing about is an actual specific variety of chile that happened to be grown in the Hatch Valley and simply got labeled a “Hatch” chile.  So when you hear of the word Hatch Chile be aware that that could mean any variety of chile that was grown in Hatch regardless of whether or not it is a New Mexico variety.

Many people today are selling chile under the name of Hatch Chile without it even originating in New Mexico, or even being a New Mexico variety simply to take advantage of the popular name.  We are one of the few companies remaining (if not the only one) dedicated to only growing,  preserving and providing these authentic New Mexico Green Chile varieties.   The Heritage varieties that we sell along with the NuMex Joe E. Parker are the original varieties originally produced in New Mexico.

• Foreign Cometition remains severe
• Foreign competitors sell red chile cheaper than it costs to grow it in the U.S.
• Imports account for about 82% U.S. comsumption of chile
• China is trying to corner the oleoresin market which accounts for 30% of NM chile acreage.
• 41% of chile is fresh processed, 31% is for red oleoresin, 22% for red spice, 5% for fresh green, 2% for cayenne mash

Why the industry is important to New Mexico;

• The chile industry is possibly the only industry in which NM is ranked first in the nation
• NM produces the vast majority of chile in the U.S.
• The industy contributes millions to the states economy
• The industry exports most of it’s products bringin money into this state.
• It provides over 2,000 full time jobs and over 10,000 part time jobs to New Mexicans.
• The industry is composed primarily of family owned companies and farms who invest in the communities and work to improve them.
• Chile is the heart and soul of New Mexico.

This information and more is provided by the NM Chile Association.  www.nmchileassociation.com

Things you can do to help the NM Chile Industry:

• Ask your grocer, restaurant, and food processors for NM Chile
• Use companies that support the NM Chile Association
• Write letters to:  The Governor of NM www.governor.state.nm.us, NM Legislators www.legis.state.nm.us, NM Congressional Delegation www.house.gov, www.senate.gov
• Become a member, sponsor or supporter of the NMCA.  Go to www.nmchileassociaton.com for membership applications.

“People all over the country advertise New Mexico chile — whether it’s genuine or not,” said Rep. Andy Nunez, who sponsored the bill. “This law makes it easier to protect one of our state’s most treasured products and preserve the good name of our world-class chiles.”

New Mexico is known for its green chile but the industry is in decline.  New Mexico’s acreage is down by two-thirds of what was grown in the early 1990’s.  More than 34,000 acres were harvested in 1992.  In 2008 only 11,100 acres were harvested in the state.  Fewer than 9,000 acres of chile plants were harvested in New Mexico in 2010. The crop contributes $350 million to the state’s economy each year.

“People think our biggest problem comes from Mexico, but it’s really from China and Peru, whose labor is extraordinarily cheap,” said Jaye Hawkins, executive director of the NM Chile Association, which pushed for the bill.  Imports account for about 82% U.S. consumption of chile. Foreign competitors sell chile red chile cheaper than it costs to grow it in the U.S.

“We just want our consumer to feel confident that when they order New Mexico chile, that’s in fact what it is,” Hawkins said.

Violators of the misdemeanor could be fined or serve time in jail, Nunez said.

To see the New Mexico Chile Advertising Act click on the link below.

http://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/11%20Regular/bills/house/HB0485JCS.pdf