‘We love the rain!’ Southern New Mexico farmers optimistic about growing season

DOÑA ANA COUNTY, New Mexico -- One man's inconvenience is another man's blessing.

"We love the rain!” said Greg Daviet, the farm manager of Dixie Ranch in Dona Ana County. “Growing the world’s food supply requires a lot of water."

For every quarter inch of rain that falls, Daviet told ABC-7 he will save $1,000 in irrigation costs. He said an inch of rain will bring $1 million in economic benefit to the entire region.

“Last year’s monsoon would be better called a 'non-soon,'" he joked. "We really didn’t have any rainfall!”

Dixie Ranch has 10,000 pecan trees that produce a half-million pounds of pecans annually. Because farmers in the Elephant Butte Irrigation District are allotted only one irrigation this season, Daviet said the early rain brings him hope.

“My grandfather used to say if it rains before the Fourth of July, it won’t stop," Daviet said. "But if it doesn’t, it won’t start.”