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NEW HARTFORD – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley issued the following comment about the nomination today by President Trump of Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey to be Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This position was established in May as part of a re-organization at USDA. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said that aligning the agencies within USDA that serve farmers will “provide a simplified, one-stop shop for our primary customers.”
Grassley comment:
“Bill Northey is an outstanding pick to serve President Trump in the newly created role of Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation. In this position, he will oversee the Farm Service Agency which administers traditional farm safety net programs, the Risk Management Agency which manages more than $100 billion of liability for the federal crop insurance program, and the Natural Resource Conservation Service which directs our nation's conservation programs.
“Whether you're a Northeast dairy farmer considering insurance options, a corn farmer in Iowa evaluating conservation enhancements for your farm, or a producer in the coastal bend of Texas dealing with disastrous losses of cotton, rice or livestock from Hurricane Harvey, Bill Northey will be responsible for ensuring the USDA is providing the appropriate assistance to your farm.
“I’ve known Bill Northey for years and he has been an exceptional Secretary of Agriculture in Iowa. His leadership and passion for agriculture were proven numerous times as he advocated for renewable energy and the adoption of conservation practices like cover crops. He’s an Iowa farmer with dirt under his fingernails who knows first-hand what goes into running a family farm.
“I look forward to working with Bill in his new role. I’ve no doubt he will be an asset to the farmers who utilize USDA programs to ensure the most affordable, safest food supply in the world is available every year for all Americans.”
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