Iowa Secretary of Agriculture

A discussion on the contested primary race for Iowa agriculture secretary and more on this Politics Day episode with political scientists Megan Goldberg and Jim McCormick.

Wade Dooley, a farmer and owner of a custom seeding operation near Marshalltown, announced Tuesday his Democratic campaign for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture.

Former University of Iowa professor and Democrat Chris Jones announced he's running for Iowa secretary of agriculture. He will face a June primary against Marshalltown-area farmer, Wade Dooley.

While U.S. corn production and exports are on track to break records, sales for soybeans are down and prices for both commodities sit below production costs.

Industry experts say demand for locally raised meat is high, but processing is often a bottleneck. State grants from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship aim to widen the middle of the supply chain.

A Vietnamese delegation signed five memoranda of understanding to purchase more U.S. soy, corn, pork and other agricultural products at the Iowa State Capitol Monday. The non-binding agreements come among ongoing trade talks between the U.S. and Vietnam.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is awarding nearly $2.7 million in matching grants to 14 projects this year. One of the sites is Legacy Woods Nature Sanctuary, a new development in West Des Moines.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig applauded the USDA’s updated response to bird flu, emphasizing that poultry producers in the state have been hit hard by the H5N1 virus. Over 11 million chickens and turkeys in Iowa were killed by the virus or culled to prevent its spread last year.

The Farm Bill has been extended for a year as part of a legislative package that prevented a federal government shutdown. While some ag groups applauded the bipartisan measure, many are urging Congress to pass a new Farm Bill next year.

One conservationist says the Deep Creek Water Quality Initiative is making an impact, but more work needs to be done.