WRITER: Amy Muise, smiamy@nmsu.edu
The state of Chihuahua has recognized New Mexico State University horticultural pioneer Fabián García as a “Chihuahuense Distinguido” for his scientific legacy, social contributions and role in the development of commercial agriculture in New Mexico and the region.
On Nov. 12, in Chihuahua City, Mauro Parada Muñoz, secretary of rural development of the state of Chihuahua, presented a delegation from NMSU with a plaque recognizing García and signed by the governor of the state of Chihuahua, María Eugenia Campos Galván.
Born in Chihuhaua in 1872, García moved to New Mexico as a young child. In 1894, he was part of the first graduating class of New Mexico College of Agriculture Mechanic Arts, now NMSU, where he spent his career as a teacher, researcher and administrator.
As a horticulturalist and plant breeder, García developed new varieties of chile peppers, including the precursor of today’s New Mexico-style green chile. He helped establish New Mexico’s pecan industry and laid the groundwork for the state’s commercial onion industry. He also developed new varieties of cotton, apples, grapes, peaches and potatoes suited to the region’s arid climates.
García became director of the college’s Agricultural Experiment Station in 1913 and was the first Hispanic named as director of agricultural research for a U.S. land-grant university. Throughout his career, he published his research findings in both Spanish and English.
“The impact of Fabián García in the agricultural sector of the Southwestern United States is also reflected in the agriculture of northwest Mexico,” said Rolando A. Flores Galarza, dean and chief administrative officer of NMSU’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.
Flores Galarza, who was part of the NMSU delegation, added: “The pride the state of Chihuahua has in the legacy of Fabián García is something we share, along with our Chihuahuan Desert environment, our cultures and our languages. The secretary of rural development bringing this exemplary recognition to NMSU shows the links of collaboration and problem-solving that we share in this region. We are interdependent. Fabián García is an incredible role model for students in both Mexico and the U.S.”
At his death in 1948, García willed much of his estate to support NMSU’s construction of a dormitory for students in need.
NMSU has honored García’s many achievements by naming its horticulture farm, faculty senate chamber and student advising center after him. It also established the Fabián García Memorial Scholarship and the Fabián García Multicultural Scholars Program.
García has also been recognized by the National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame in Bonner Springs, Kansas and the National Hall of Fame for the American Society for Horticultural Science.
Learn more about García’s life and work in a video produced by the College of ACES at https://youtu.be/6OWxyM5r2Os?si=65wylhNPL7oKlAyF (English) or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsLssYphtu4 (Spanish).
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Cutline: Rolando A. Flores Galarza, right, dean and chief administrative officer of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at New Mexico State University, speaks during a ceremony honoring the late horticulturalist and plant breeder Fabián García. (Courtesy)
Cutline: Fabián García’s research at New Mexico State University helped influence agriculture nationwide. As a horticulturalist and plant breeder, García developed new varieties of chile peppers, including the precursor of today’s New Mexico-style green chile. (NMSU photo)