Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig visits HCREC

Harrison County Rural Electric Cooperative was pleased to welcome Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Naig, to our Woodbine office on Friday, January 16^th.

During his visit, Secretary Naig discussed efforts from his department to strengthen Iowa Agriculture by expanding opportunities for farmers. Key areas that he focused on in the discussion included modernizing farm zoning exemptions including direct-to-consumer marketing and value-added processing, supporting agritourism, and expanding local food markets through the Choose Iowa program.

Secretary Naig also highlighted other key focus areas of his department including updating transportation standards for agricultural equipment and protecting family farm succession through support of Iowa’s next generation of farmers and the ag workforce. These updates are intended to support long-term stability and growth for Iowa’s agricultural community.

Secretary Naig’s visit with HCREC employees and various cooperative members provided an opportunity for a discussion at the local level on how these proposed changes could support local growers and rural Iowans. Secretary Naig also expressed his appreciation of Rural Electric Cooperatives’ work and efforts with Iowa Area Development Group, an organization founded by electric cooperatives, to help foster growth and opportunity in rural Iowa communities.

Harrison County REC appreciated hosting Secretary Naig and enjoyed the discussions and shared perspectives as we continue working toward a strong and resilient future.