Former U.S. ag secretary to keynote Celebration of Ag in Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS — The importance of agribusiness in Iowa will take center stage at the 36th annual Celebration of Agriculture later this month, with Sonny Perdue, the former U.S. secretary of agriculture, as the keynote speaker.

The event will be the evening of March 21 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Cedar Rapids Convention Complex, following National Ag Day on March 19. A crowd of 650 is expected, with ticket sales closing Friday, March 8. Tickets are $50 each, available cedarrapids.org/events/detail/eventid10754/.

Perdue was the 31st secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture from 2017 to 2021. The department, with 110,000 employees, worked to stabilize the food supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic and launched the Farmers to Families Food Box program to ensure the most vulnerable Americans were fed.

Perdue was the governor of Georgia from 2003 to 2011 and a member of the Georgia Senate from 1991 to 2001. He is now chancellor of the University System of Georgia.

“To feature an individual that has made as big of an impact on agriculture on a national and global level as Sonny is an incredible opportunity for our community,” event chairperson April Isaacson said. “Agriculture is the backbone of Iowa’s economy, and Sonny Perdue is sure to bring that impact to life at this years’ event.”

Iowa is the nation’s No. 1 producer of eggs, corn, soybeans and pork.

The Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance is a supporter of the Celebration of Ag, sponsored by Central Iowa Power Cooperative and Iowa Corn.