From family trips across Route 66 to the local farms, restaurants, and small businesses that shape everyday life, reliable energy plays a major role in New Mexico’s economy. Without it, key contributors like chile farms and the restaurant industry could not flourish and bring revenue into its communities. Natural gas works behind the scenes to power everything from tractors and restaurant kitchens to your family’s car and neighborhood storefronts across New Mexico.
Natural gas delivers real economic results. As of a 2025 report by Feeding the Economy, New Mexico has a near $45 billion agriculture industry – one that would look much different if it weren’t for natural gas powering the means to run the farms and distribution centers. Natural gas’s efficient nature helps drive New Mexico’s economic success by keeping restaurants and store fronts running, thus driving consumer spending.
Let’s really break down the value natural gas brings to New Mexico’s economy:
Essential to New Mexico’s thriving agriculture industry.
Chile has been deeply rooted in New Mexican culture for centuries, and is an important contributor to the state’s economy. New Mexico has nearly a which would not be possible without the natural gas needed to fuel every step of the harvesting process.
Think tractors, irrigation systems, harvesting equipment, and distribution trucks. These key players would not function without natural gas, and this thriving industry would look much different.
Reliable energy that New Mexico families can count on.
New Mexico grocery prices have jumped by a whopping 21.8% since 2021.
That’s $1,020 more per month to buy the same groceries.
Many families are already focused on covering everyday payments, so essential needs like buying groceries or cooling your home during the summer months should be a given – not another cost weighing down pockets. With reliable and affordable energy, household energy costs become manageable, and families have more breathing room in their budgets to support their households and the local communities around them.
Natural gas helps keep local businesses and jobs afloat.
New Mexico is the home to a variety of restaurants, hotels, and businesses that locals and travelers rely on every day. The natural gas that powers these industries keeps New Mexico’s economy flowing by providing jobs and driving consumer spending.
In 2023, oil and gas production generated nearly $13 billion in state revenue, supporting New Mexico’s roads, public services, and utilities that small businesses rely on to operate.
Without reliable energy, local businesses would not be able to power their storefronts, thus decreasing jobs and their number of customers.
In short:
New Mexico’s economy would look much different without the natural gas that supports the industries driving the state forward. From the agriculture industry bringing in billions of dollars annually to local businesses creating jobs and increasing consumer spending rates, natural gas is a key player in the industries that shape New Mexico’s economy.
If it weren’t for natural gas, there would be no restaurants to visit, stores to pop into, or chiles in your enchiladas!