NMSU students venture to Puerto Rico to learn about coffee industry

Despite persistent climate challenges, severe labor shortage and steep production costs, a small but dedicated group of coffee growers in Puerto Rico is breathing life into an industry that began on the island in the 18th century.

At its peak, in the late 19th century, Puerto Rico produced more than 30 million pounds of coffee annually. That changed when the United States annexed the island in 1898, and coffee production began to plummet. 

More than a century later, Puerto Rico's coffee industry is once again picking up steam, with an estimated 4,000 coffee growers producing 3 million pounds of coffee each year. 

This summer, four agricultural business students from New Mexico State University immersed themselves in Puerto Rico's coffee industry. They spent three weeks traveling across the island, meeting coffee growers, conducting research and building professional networks. They were part of the Multicultural Online Digitally Enhanced Experiential Learning program, or MODExl, a collaboration among NMSU, Arizona State University and the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez.

MODExl aims to prepare students for careers in food, agriculture, health and natural resources. Participants build analytical and global competencies through multidisciplinary online training and experiential learning activities. The program is funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture's Higher Education Challenge.

"When we were writing this proposal, we wanted to provide students with an opportunity to visit and experience a different Latin American culture," said Carlos Carpio Ochoa, head of NMSU's Department of Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. "Puerto Rico was a perfect fit because it's a U.S. territory with a long history of producing coffee."

The NMSU cohort included Denisse Banuelos, Sarah Fox, Joe Koenig and Julian Martinez. During the spring 2025 semester, the students prepared for the monthlong trip by taking an online class taught by faculty from the participating universities. The online class covered topics like research protocols and procedures, data collection, the history of Puerto Rico's coffee industry and other areas. 

Carpio Ochoa and Alwin Dsouza, an assistant professor of agricultural economics and agricultural business, were among the NMSU faculty who helped teach the class.

Soon after arriving in Puerto Rico, the students began collecting research, accompanied by Eduardo Medina of NMSU's Extension Economics. They also met and worked closely with students from ASU and the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez.

"We spent two days in San Juan before driving to Mayagüez on the west coast," Banuelos said. "From there, we started hitting the pavement, going to different coffee plantations. We visited seven different farms, some of which had roasting operations and processing facilities. That was very cool to see. Then, over the next three weeks, we talked to more than 30 farmers in person, documenting their experiences in the industry."

Fox said most of the farmers the group met were more than willing to speak about their successes and struggles. Many openly discussed topics like labor shortages, immigrant workers and climate challenges, as well as planting techniques, growing subsidies and cultural traditions.

"A few of them expressed that they're extremely proud of what they do, but a lot of them acknowledged that it is extremely hard work," Fox said. "In one of my interviews, a farmer mentioned that he would love to keep growing coffee and keep his farm running in his family. But he also said he doesn't want his children to be constantly struggling, especially after hurricanes and tropical storms. He wants his children to have more stability and find different work, which is a big factor in labor issues."

Fox and the other students compiled their interviews and other data into posters they presented at ASU after returning to Las Cruces. NMSU and ASU students concluded the trip with visits to their respective campuses, giving a glimpse of life at each university.

Martinez said the trip enriched his understanding of the research process and opened his eyes to different cultures. He added that he plans to pursue additional research opportunities at NMSU. 

"It was such an eye-opening experience and sparked my interest in research," he said. 

For Koenig, one of the highlights of the trip, beyond interviewing farmers, was swimming in Puerto Rico's bioluminescent bays.

"We were swimming in glowing waters – it was just the coolest experience I've had, seeing the fish underneath us," he said.

Carpio Ochoa said his department is working to offer more experiential learning activities.

"This was such a great success," he said, "and we want to give more students a chance to travel and experience industries and cultures outside of New Mexico."

A version of this story appears in the fall 2025 issue of ACES Magazine. For more stories, visit https://nmsu.news/aces-magazine-2025. 

The full article can be seen at https://newsroom.nmsu.edu/news/nmsu-students-venture-to-puerto-rico-to-learn-about-coffee-industry/s/2940a44c-c30a-4556-bdff-22600a45b7c4.