Candie Sweetser, Government Affairs Manager | New Mexico Department of Agriculture
The latest Feeding the Economy report, released by a coalition of 36 food and agriculture organizations, highlights the economic impact of New Mexico's agricultural sector. According to the report, the state's food and agriculture industry contributed $45 billion to the economy in 2025, marking a 4.4% increase from $43.12 billion in 2024.
Key metrics show that wages rose to $12.9 billion, up 9.3% from $11.8 billion in 2024. Business taxes amounted to $4.8 billion, while exports reached $301.8 million, representing a significant rise of 22.1% from $247.1 million in 2024. The industry also supported 253,529 jobs across the state.
New Mexico Agriculture Secretary Jeff Witte emphasized the importance of this sector by stating, “Our state’s food and agriculture industry is a thriving, integral component of the local economy, as this latest report shows increases in exports, wages and overall economic impact of the ag industry.” He added that it's important to acknowledge "all the work it took to get that food from the farm to our plates."
The report underscores cattle and calves as New Mexico's top cash commodity with a production value of $1.72 billion according to the 2023 New Mexico Agriculture Statistics Bulletin. Milk follows closely as the second most valuable commodity at $1.7 billion, with New Mexico ranking fourth nationally in cheese production.
Nationally, food and agriculture sectors contributed significantly as well—$9.5 trillion to the U.S economy in 2025—accounting for 18.7% of total economic output.
The resilience of these sectors since the pandemic has been noteworthy; they have increased their economic output by nearly 25% despite ongoing global supply chain challenges.
Onions rank third among New Mexico's cash commodities with a production value of $137.4 million.
