(Le Mars) — Today (Tuesday) is National Agriculture Day, and if not for the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Naig, would have been in Le Mars today to deliver the key-note address for the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Luncheon. That gathering
has of course been cancelled due to the coronavirus. Naig says it’s important that everyone thinks about the importance of agriculture, not just for today, but everyday.
Naig says Iowa ranks first in the nation with corn production, hogs, and with eggs. Iowa is either number one or number two in rankings with soybean production. The Iowa Agriculture Secretary says with our other commodities, the Hawkeye state
is among the top ten agriculture producing state. Naig says Iowa’s economic base is dependent upon agriculture.
Iowa’s Agriculture Secretary says the COVID-19 coronavirus is having a negative affect upon agricultural trade.
Secretary of Agriculture Naig, (far left) is with Iowa Lt. Governor Adam Gregg (center) and Le Mars pork producer Bill Tentinger (far right) during a trade mission tour to Columbia and Panama.
Naig says agricultural trade is important for Iowa farmers. He says recent trade agreements with Japan, Mexico, Canada, and China will eventually mean additional business and higher incomes for Iowa farmers. He says it is important to maintain relations with our trading partners.
Naig says each farmer feeds more than 165 people.
