 The following is a production of New Mexico State University. The national Mexican food industry got its start at New Mexico State University. While spicy dishes have always been popular southwestern cuisine, until this century, the chili pod was too thin, irregular, and wrinkled for commercial canning. Not until chili research began in 1907 at what was then called New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts was there hope that chili could be shipped nationwide. In 1921 Fabian Garcia released the world's first plump, smooth-skinned chili pod, New Mexico No. 9. New Mexico State University researchers Ari Harper and Roy Nakayama continued to breed a milder chili which could be harvested mechanically. Famous varieties such as Big Jim and Arnaki have firmly established New Mexico State University as the father of the Mexican food industry. For the early years, I'm Carla Otagorn. This has been a Centennial Celebration Minute from New Mexico State University. The preceding was a production of New Mexico State University. The views and opinions in this program are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of the NMSU Board of Regents.