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Northey: trade tops list of concerns connected to U.S. Ag Secretary delay

Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey says his biggest concern about the delay in confirming a U.S. Agriculture Secretary is trade.

“And in these conversations, these tensions around auto parts and refrigerators, we need to make sure that pork and dairy and soybeans and corn do not get lost in that conversation,” said Northey, during an agriculture roundtable radio program Thursday on Brownfield Ag News affiliate KCLN Radio in Clinton, Iowa.  “Having a secretary would be a big part of that.”

USDA functions, such as program sign-ups at local FSA and NRCS offices continue uninterrupted, said Northey, but in addition to the vacancy in the secretary’s office, there is also no U.S. Trade Representative chief agriculture negotiator.

“We certainly have a lot of great things going on with Mexico and ag trade that we don’t want to lose, and I think benefits Mexico as well,” he said.  “I think in general, they appreciate being able to get the products from the U.S.; it certainly is important for our agriculture in the Midwest.”

AUDIO: Bill Northey on KCLN Radio roundtable broadcast (5 min. MP3)

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