New Mexico students pursuing agriculture degrees will benefit from an East Coast fundraiser featuring the state’s signature crop, as alumni organize a green chile roast event in the Washington, D.C., area to raise scholarship money while promoting the state’s top-ranked chile industry.
The Sam Steel Society Council, the alumni organization for New Mexico State University’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES), will host “The Fix: An Aggie Chile Roast” on Saturday, Aug. 16, at the Harris Teeter grocery store in Alexandria, Va. The event supports scholarships for NMSU students facing college costs that average approximately $22,000 annually.
“The Fix is more than just a chile roast, it’s a celebration of our Aggie roots and New Mexico’s agricultural heritage,” said Fayth Franzoy Gillespie, chair of the Sam Steel Society Council, in a press release. “We’re proud to bring the taste of home to fellow alumni and chile lovers on the East Coast, while supporting New Mexico farmers in the process.”
The New Mexico Department of Agriculture is supporting the event, which celebrates the state’s position as the nation’s leading chile producer. New Mexico produces roughly 77% of chile peppers in the United States and ranks No. 1 nationally in chile production, with 2023 production valued at $41.5 million from 46,750 tons harvested.
The Sam Steel Society is named after Samuel Steel, who was slated to graduate in 1893 as the first person to earn a degree from what is now NMSU, but was tragically killed in an alleged robbery. The Society Council’s mission includes supporting student recruitment, promoting alumni engagement and overseeing scholarships awarded to NMSU undergraduate students in the College of ACES to assist with college expenses.
Proceeds from events like “The Fix” directly support scholarships that help cover expenses such as travel, club fees and leadership development for students in the college, according to the press release. This comes as NMSU has seen enrollment grow 4.2% to more than 22,750 students systemwide, while the university awards more than $100 million annually in scholarships, grants, work-study funds and loans.
“We’re thrilled to help bring a taste of New Mexico to Aggies and fans on the East Coast,” said New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte in the press release. “These roasts are about more than great food—they’re about pride, tradition and growing support for New Mexico agriculture.”
Witte, who serves as director/secretary of NMDA and Cabinet secretary of agriculture for the state, currently serves as president of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. He has emphasized that outreach efforts like the D.C. chile event are essential for the state’s economy, noting that sending products out of state creates new markets and opportunities to grow local markets at home.
This marks the second consecutive year for the event after a COVID-19 hiatus. The NMSU Alumni Association previously organized annual chile-roasting events in the D.C. area from 2014 to 2019, but the pandemic halted such activities from 2020 to 2022. The Sam Steel Council revived the tradition in 2023 “to much fanfare,” according to a July 2024 NMSU news release.
In 2023, the council sold 53 boxes, or approximately 1,200 pounds, of roasted chile at $70 per box, with prices increasing to $75 starting Aug. 1. Jennifer Ryder Fox, president of the Sam Steel Council, said last year’s experience was “so fulfilling” that it makes this year’s event “even more special.”
The chile is sourced directly from New Mexico farmers, reinforcing NMDA’s commitment to boosting market access for the state’s specialty crops. This direct connection supports New Mexico’s food and agriculture industry, which generates a $43.12 billion economic impact and provides 50,886 jobs statewide.
