Member Showcase: Normex Pecans

Value-Added Agriculture: Ready for Success in Roswell and Chaves County

Roswell, NM, and Chaves County have long been an epicenter for agricultural expansion. From USA Beef Packing’s facility to dairy farms, Chaves County is a bustling agricultural hub with plenty of land to grow. One booming business, Normex Pecans, chose Chaves County as their organization’s home — and now produces 4% of pecans in the U.S.

Normex Pecans: 40-Years and Counting 

With a yearly output of more than nine million pounds of pecans, Normex Pecans is an agricultural leader in the pecan industry. Normex planted its first pecan trees in the early 1980s when a retired federal judge moved to New Mexico for a fresh start. Later, he sold the orchard to a friend, who established Normex as a family business. Since then, the company has remained a staple in the U.S. pecan industry. 

Shay Wagner, the Farm Manager of Normex Pecans, shared his insights into why the company has seen unprecedented success. Wagner, born and raised in Roswell, has worked at Normex for 17 years. When asked why New Mexico, and Chaves County especially, is such a hub for pecan production, Wagner points to a climate that supports agricultural endeavors, with plenty of rain and sunshine. “Mother Nature dictates everything. New Mexico’s weather is simply amazing - very mild, but we still get the winter we need each year,” he said.

Why Choose Roswell and Chaves County?

That abundance of natural resources has helped Normex Pecans and hundreds of other agricultural industries find success in making Roswell and Chaves County their home. The Roswell Artesian Basin headlines those notable advantages as natural access to clean water that geologists say may never run out of water. This naturally recharging, mountain-fed aquifer has the capacity to serve four million people, far exceeding the current population of around 65,000. Dairy farmers, orchards, commercial farmers, and more use the Roswell Artesian basin daily.

Numerous other business advantages exist in Chaves County. The plentitude of sun and wind allows area companies added resiliency through renewable energy sources. In addition to the abundance of natural resources,  Chaves County is a climate-safe business location. It does not experience many natural disaster threats, such as earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes or drought, that pose a real threat to operations. 

Value-added agriculture companies can build on the interconnectedness of other area businesses in adjacent industry segments. Chaves County is a leader in hay production, ranking #1 in corn silage production with 391,000 tons produced yearly and a similar quantity of alfalfa production. This makes it an ideal place to raise livestock, as food and water are available either naturally or at a low cost. Ranchers, too, have settled in Chaves County, utilizing the 20,000-square-foot meat packing facility to put their products on the market faster. Despite being home to 560 operational farms, Roswell-Chaves still has room for expansion.

Find your business success here.

As the economic and cultural hub of Southeastern New Mexico, Roswell and Chaves County are wise choices as business relocation destinations. With plenty of undeveloped land ready for expansion and ample natural resources, growing here is easy. Contact Roswell-Chaves County Economic Development Corp to learn more about growth opportunities.