What is the “official state question” of the U.S. state of New Mexico?

You may be asked an odd question when you’re in New Mexico, dining on New Mexican cuisine. “Red or green?” refers to whether you prefer red or green chile peppers in your dish, and people do have very definite preferences.

The New Mexico State Legislature enshrined “Red or green?” as the official state question in 1996, in honor of the importance of chiles to the state economy, and boosting local pride. Peppers are the number one cash crop in terms of sales in the state, and are even pictured on some of the state’s personalized license plates.

New Mexico is the leading producer of chiles within the United States, producing about 77% of the domestic crop. In 2019, the state produced a combined total of 6,310,000 tons (5,724,336 metric tons) of spicy, delicious “red or green” peppers, with an estimated value of $50 million (40,752,600 Euro).