New Mexico May Be the First to Have an Official State Aroma

The state of New Mexico may soon have an official aroma, thanks to the spirited advocacy of a fifth-grade class!

When you think of green chiles, you may envision New Mexico, the state which the pepper is most closely associated with. Many chile connoisseurs view green chiles as the state's icon and a culinary treasure. When you're in New Mexico, you'll find green chiles everywhere - in stews, sauces, and slathered over burritos and enchiladas.

New Mexico is so in love with peppers, it even hosts a New Mexico Chile Conference in Las Cruces! Plus, New Mexico State University houses the Chile Pepper Institute, the only international nonprofit dedicated to chile pepper research and education.

We're all familiar with state birds, flowers, and mottos, but what is a state aroma? It sounds unfamiliar because this potential designation would make New Mexico a pioneer in the arena of aromas as the first place in the country to declare an official state scent!

Lawmakers are currently considering proposed legislation that would proclaim roasted green chile as the state aroma, via the Associated Press.

The chile has some serious influence in New Mexico, to the point where they already list it as an official state vegetable and cultivated more than 60% of the U.S. pepper crop in 2021!

Democrats and Republican politicians alike in New Mexico can at least agree on one thing: They love their chile peppers and they want them to be recognized!