The state of New Mexico has implemented a chile wage program in order to curb concerns about a labor shortage for this year's chile crop. The concern has arisen out of a recent trend that has seen farmworkers worried about not receiving their bonuses or fair wages during the harvesting season. 

In order to address these concerns, the Agriculture Department has released the list of contractors and farmers who received the wage boost money on behalf of the workers. On the list, there are 17 growers, processors, and contractors that split a combined $2.8 million on behalf of their workforce, which totals about 3,000 workers, according to SourceNM. 

The program was first announced in August by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. It was introduced as the Chile Labor Incentive Program and it was given $5 million to pay chile laborers more in order to protect the crop, the state's flagship. When the program was put in place, the state said that it was experiencing a 45% drop in workers for chile farms. This drop represented about 1350 workers. 

In November, the program was extended through the winter. This is typically when the harvesting process takes place. The fund pays workers up to $4.50 an hour as a boost to workers. It can increase pay up to $19.50 an hour. The funding was provided as part of the federal American Rescue Plan.