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Committee Hears Bill to Designate August as New Mexico Red and Green Chile Month; No Motion Taken
Summary
Representative introduced a bill to name August "Red and Green Chile Month" to boost agritourism and protect New Mexico chile branding; supporters described acreage losses and marketing needs. The committee took no motion or second, so the bill did not advance.
Representative Dow introduced House Bill 172 to designate August as New Mexico Red and Green Chile Month, aiming to promote the state’s chile crop and related agritourism.
The bill matters because New Mexico producers, advocates and tourism officials say the crop has declined sharply and faces mislabeling and market pressures; proponents said a formal designation would help statewide marketing and agritourism efforts.
"It is making the month of August red and green chile month," Representative Dow told the committee, saying New Mexico has seen chile acreage fall from "over 30,000 acres" to "around 8,800 acres left." Travis Day of the New Mexico Chili Growers Association told the committee the industry faces disease, drought and labor shortages and said the designation would be "another tool" to promote the crop statewide.
Supporters described a range of potential uses for an official month: New Mexico True tour tie‑ins, local festivals and marketing that would benefit restaurants, wineries, breweries and food producers who use chile. Representative Dow said August was selected because it generally covers peak harvest timing across southern and northern growing areas and would let communities schedule celebrations that match local harvests.
Committee members asked practical questions. Senator Sherry asked, "How will this change any of that?" Representative Dow responded that the bill would not solve disease or drought but could help with branding and reducing false advertising, where chile marketed as Hatch or New Mexico sometimes originates elsewhere. Committee members also noted the long‑standing Hatch Chile Festival; Representative Dow said the Hatch organizers recommended August as the month and that festival dates can vary between late August and early September.
The chair asked for a motion; committee members did not make or second a motion. The record shows there was "no motion" and "no second," so HB 172 did not advance out of committee at this hearing.
Looking ahead, proponents said the measure was intended as a marketing and branding tool rather than a regulatory fix. No additional funding or statutory changes were included in the bill text discussed at the hearing.
