Iowa Secretary of Agriculture addresses local producers
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Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig addressed a large gathering of area producers at the new commercial building at the fairgrounds Thursday evening. Naig was the Keynote Speaker for the City State Bank Ag Seminar, also sponsored by Iowa Corn and the Ringgold County Corn Growers Association.
Naig touched on a number of legislative issues.
He commended the legislature for strengthening Iowa’s law barring foreign ownership of Iowa farmland. The legislation has passed both houses in Des Moines and awaits the governor’s signature.
Addressing another foreign concern, Naig said that Iowa producers need to be ready for the spread of foreign animal diseases and support efforts to ward off these diseases. Naig discussed a number of issues regarding renewable fuels and Iowa’s role in the generation of those fuels.
“We need to invest in the infrastructure to handle E-15 sales in Iowa and nationwide,” he said. “We also need access for E-15 year round. We continue to battle the federal government to approve measures to provide the fuel nationwide.”
Naig also predicted that Iowa will one day have a jet fuel refinery in Iowa making renewable fuels for the aviation industry.
“Would you rather be in a plane burning good renewable fuel or one being powered by a battery,” he said.
Concerning ongoing efforts to get a new farm bill passed in Washington, Naig didn’t anticipate getting anything done this year. He said they need to make sure they do it right, not just quickly.
Naig also addressed his concerns about the ongoing drought that Iowa has been experiencing. He said that almost 80% of the state is in some form of drought conditions.
Naig reiterated his support for “Truth in Labeling” of farm products.
“People should know whether they are buying–real meat or something grown in a lab.”
The secretary also touted a new initiative called “Choose Iowa” which markets Iowa grown and produced goods.
“We need to find new markets for our products,” he said.
He also briefly discussed “Right to Farm” legislation and the dangers of the “Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rules.”
Also on the federal level he said the United States must be sure that the border situation with Mexico doesn’t effect the flow of Iowa products into that nation.
Other speakers
Ryan Sauer of Iowa Corn updated the gathering about efforts that group is engaged in.
City State Bank’s Charlie Ochanpaugh discussed various trust and investment issues while Mark Kraka, a National Account Executive with Rain & Hail Insurance discussed various crop insurance options.
The group also was treated to a recital of the FFA creed by Kylie Hubbard, a freshman FFA member from Diagonal.
