Bill Northey USDA nomination advances to full Senate

CEDAR RAPIDS - The nomination of Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey to be an undersecretary at the USDA was approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee Thursday and sent to the full Senate.

Northey, 58, a Spirit Lake farmer in is third term as Iowa's ag secretary, was nominated by President Donald Trump in September to be Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation and he appeared before the committee earlier this month.

'As a fourth generation farmer, Mr. Northey has an innate understanding of our agricultural community and the obstacles our farmers and ranchers face,” committee member Sen. Joni Ernst said Thursday.

With the support of the committee and more than 60 farm and conservation organizations, his confirmation is expected.

If confirmed, Northey will oversee three USDA agencies: the Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Risk Management Agency. Programs under the role would include crop insurance, conservation, disaster assistance and producer lending services, Roberts said Thursday.

No date for a Senate vote on his nomination was announced.

l Comments: (319) 398-8375; james.lynch@thegazette.com