SANTA FE – In response to a letter from Republican legislators, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham this week announced plans to provide federal relief funds to raise wages for chile workers and bridge the labor shortage for the industry. Senator Crystal Diamond (District 35-Doña Ana, Hidalgo, Luna, and Sierra), a co-author of the letter, responded with the following statement:

"We appreciate the Governor's attention to the labor shortage for the harvesting of our state's signature crop. While we cannot spend our way out of this problem, I hope this temporary aid will assist the family farms in desperate need of workers. Our agriculture industry is the backbone of our state's economy, and for every community and family that relies on a strong harvest, this is a small step toward recovery."