Editing New Mexico (section)

=== Agriculture and food production ===
Although much of its land is arid, New Mexico has hosted a variety of agricultural activities for at least 2,500 years, centered mostly on the Rio Grande and its tributaries. This is helped by its long history of [[acequia]]s, along with other farming and ranching methods within New Mexico. It is regulated by the [[New Mexico Department of Agriculture]], specialty areas include various [[cash crop]]s, [[cattle ranching]], farming, [[New Mexico Department of Game and Fish|game and fish]].

Agriculture contributes $40&nbsp;billion to New Mexico's economy and employs nearly 260,000 people. As of 2023, the state exports $275&nbsp;million in agricultural goods and ranks first nationwide in the production of chile peppers, second in pecans, and fifth in onions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 22, 2023 |title=New Mexico agriculture industry makes comeback after hardships |url=https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/new-mexico-agriculture-industry-makes-comeback-after-hardships/ |access-date=2023-03-27 |website=KRQE NEWS 13 – Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos |language=en-US |archive-date=March 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230327224352/https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/new-mexico-agriculture-industry-makes-comeback-after-hardships/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The state vegetables are [[New Mexico chile]] peppers and [[pinto bean]]s, with the former being the most famous and valuable crop. According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture, New Mexico ranked first in the nation for chile pepper acreage, with Doña Ana and Luna counties placing first and second among U.S. counties in this regard.<ref name="Bustillos-2021">{{Cite web |title=A Rare Glimpse at Traditional Crops Grown in New Mexico |url=https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2019/12/05/rare-glimpse-traditional-crops-grown-new-mexico |access-date=2023-01-09 |website=www.usda.gov |language=en |archive-date=January 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230109214528/https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2019/12/05/rare-glimpse-traditional-crops-grown-new-mexico |url-status=live }}</ref> New Mexico chile sold close to $40&nbsp;million in 2021, while dry beans accounted for $7.6&nbsp;million that year. New Mexico is one of the few states commercially producing [[pistachio]]s, and its piñon harvest ([[pine nut]]) is a protected commodity.<ref name="Albuquerque Journal 2023">{{cite web | title=Growing green: New Mexico pistachio industry grows, albeit slower than Arizona's | website=Albuquerque Journal | date=February 27, 2023 | url=https://www.abqjournal.com/2576846/growing-green-new-mexico-pistachio-industry-grows-albeit-slower-than-2.html | access-date=March 13, 2023 | archive-date=March 13, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230313061258/https://www.abqjournal.com/2576846/growing-green-new-mexico-pistachio-industry-grows-albeit-slower-than-2.html | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="USDA">{{cite web | title=National Agricultural Statistics Service – New Mexico | website=USDA | url=https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/New_Mexico/ | access-date=January 1, 2023 | archive-date=January 1, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230101163855/https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/New_Mexico/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Fischer 2021">{{cite web | last=Fischer | first=Karen | title=How Picking Piñon Nuts in New Mexico Became Big Business | website=Eater | date=December 6, 2021 | url=https://www.eater.com/22812750/picking-selling-business-pinon-nuts-harvest-new-mexico-navajo-nation | access-date=March 2, 2023 | archive-date=March 3, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230303000704/https://www.eater.com/22812750/picking-selling-business-pinon-nuts-harvest-new-mexico-navajo-nation | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="AP NEWS 2022">{{cite web | last=Montoya Bryan | first=Susan | title=Protections sought for Western bird linked to piñon forests | website=AP NEWS | date=April 26, 2022 | url=https://apnews.com/article/environment-new-mexico-forests-lifestyle-7da0b5fa8d910a2d6f2ce79a59c337a4 | access-date=March 2, 2023 | archive-date=March 2, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230302235201/https://apnews.com/article/environment-new-mexico-forests-lifestyle-7da0b5fa8d910a2d6f2ce79a59c337a4 | url-status=live }}</ref>

Dairy is the state's largest commodity, with sales of milk alone totaling $1.3&nbsp;billion.<ref name="Bustillos-2021" /> [[Dean Foods]] owns the Creamland brand in New Mexico, the brand was originally founded in 1937 to expand a cooperative dairy venture known as the Albuquerque Dairy Association.<ref name="Lazell Payne 2007 p. 105">{{cite book | last1=Lazell | first1=C. | last2=Payne | first2=M. | title=Historic Albuquerque: An Illustrated History | publisher=Historical Pub. Network | year=2007 | isbn=978-1-893619-75-3 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=67xSRtoEed0C&pg=PA105 | access-date=March 2, 2023 | page=105 | archive-date=March 2, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230302235203/https://books.google.com/books?id=67xSRtoEed0C&pg=PA105 | url-status=live }}</ref> Southwest Cheese Company in [[Clovis, New Mexico|Clovis]] is among the largest cheese production facilities in the United States.<ref name="Food Processing Technology 2004">{{cite web | title=Southwest Cheese Production Facility, Clovis, New Mexico | website=Food Processing Technology | date=April 19, 2004 | url=https://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/projects/southwest_cheese | access-date=March 6, 2023 | archive-date=March 6, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230306102846/https://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/projects/southwest_cheese | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Sánchez Spude Gómez 2013 p. 323">{{cite book | last1=Sánchez | first1=J.P. | last2=Spude | first2=R.L. | last3=Gómez | first3=A. | title=New Mexico: A History | publisher=University of Oklahoma Press | year=2013 | isbn=978-0-8061-5113-7 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=basAAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA323 | access-date=March 6, 2023 | page=323}}</ref>

[[Vaquero#American Southwest|Caballero]] history among the indigenous and Hispano communities in New Mexico have resulted in large-scale [[ranch]] lands throughout the state, most of which are within historically Apache, Navajo, Pueblo, and Spanish land grants.<ref name="Gunnerson 1988">{{cite book | last1=Gunnerson | first1=J.H. | last2=Gunnerson | first2=D.A. | title=Ethnohistory of the High Plains | publisher=Colorado State Office, Bureau of Land Management | series=Cultural resources series | year=1988 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kF0pnmEGKdkC&pg=PA3 | access-date=March 2, 2023 | page=3 | archive-date=March 2, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230302235457/https://books.google.com/books?id=kF0pnmEGKdkC&pg=PA3 | url-status=live }}</ref> Wild game and fish found in the state include [[Rio Grande cutthroat trout]], [[rainbow trout]], [[crayfish|crawdads]], and [[venison]].

Restaurant chains originating in the state include [[Blake's Lotaburger]], [[Boba Tea Company]], [[Dion's|Dion's Pizza]], [[Little Anita's]], [[Mac's Steak in the Rough]], and [[Twisters (restaurant)|Twisters]]; many specialize in [[New Mexican cuisine]]. Some companies like [[Allsup's]] gas stations have consumer foods, like chimichangas.<ref name="Krajewski 2021">{{cite web | last=Krajewski | first=Maggie | title=Allsup's Chimichanga gets shout out as one of the best gas-station snacks | website=KOAT | date=June 24, 2021 | url=https://www.koat.com/article/allsups-chimichanga-gets-shout-out-as-one-of-the-best-gas-station-snacks/36650580 | access-date=March 2, 2023 | archive-date=March 2, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230302235203/https://www.koat.com/article/allsups-chimichanga-gets-shout-out-as-one-of-the-best-gas-station-snacks/36650580 | url-status=live }}</ref>