Northey visits California on behalf of Ag America

by | Nov 3, 2015 | 5 Ag Stories, Audio, News

Iowa?s Ag Secretary is in California speaking for Ag America, an organization that is trying to keep agriculture included in public policy decisions??California, says Northey, is ground zero in this debate of the use of water and regulation.

Standing next to a citrus Orchard that was being bulldozed out of the ground because there was no irrigation water, Iowa?s strongest voice for farmers and reasonable regulation. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey was adamant about what is happening in California.

“We need to communicate better about what?s going on in agriculture. We need to understand about issues going on in other places. Certainly our mission here is to understand not only the drought in California but the governmental response that has caused even more damaged like the trees we see them pulling out today due to lack of water. So it?s important to elect agricultural folks, people that understand agriculture and will speak for it in a way that?s good for all Americans because they understand agriculture,” Northey said.

Northey is part of a group called Ag America.

“And to be able to see the Ag Vs Urban that?s happened out here. The endangered species act use to have a negative impact in agriculture so we can all see how that can navigate to our own states and how these are bad precedents to set even for an Iowa farmer who is several thousand miles away with completely different atmosphere. We need more folks who can band together as that Ag Caucus to make sure the rest of the world hears what?s going on,” Northey said.

Patrick Cavanaugh from California Ag Today in Fresno, provided the audio with Secretary Northey for this report.