The Iowa State Capitol building from inside the Rotunda on Dec. 11, 2024. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig presented reports for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to an appropriations subcommittee Monday, highlighting the ongoing struggles with the highly pathogenic avian influenza, as well as successes with the Choose Iowa program and conservation efforts.
Naig appeared in front of the Iowa House Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee to share information on IDALS’ budget requests for the upcoming fiscal year.
He began with an update for the subcommittee on the ongoing threat of the highly pathogenic avian influenza which jumped from birds to dairy cattle in 2024 and since 2022 has impacted nearly 30 million commercial and backyard birds in Iowa.
“It’s just a reminder that, unfortunately, foreign animal disease is a constant threat, a year-round threat,” Naig said. “We need to be staffed and prepared to respond to it.”
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.
The governor’s recommendations for FY 2026 include a $500,000 appropriation to the department for foreign animal disease vaccine development.
Naig highlighted the conservation work of the department in 2024, sharing that Iowa had nearly 4 million acres planted with cover crops and set another “record year” for conservation cost-share programs.
“We always say a state dollar doesn’t act alone,” Naig said, noting that “$27.1 million worth of state investment was matched with $41.2 million in private sector dollars.”
The progress in terms of conservation efforts in the state further encourages the department for the opportunities that still exist, Naig said.
“The trajectory of adoption is changing, and it’s moving in the right direction,” Naig said. “That is not to say we don’t have a lot of work to do, and many acres to get over.”
Naig said he is particularly excited about expanding a program that encourages conservation practices on pastureland, and the continued pressure from the private sector for commodities grown with conservation practices such as reduced tillage or cover crops.
Representatives on the subcommittee, and Naig, expressed enthusiasm about the Choose Iowa program, which helps to market and support locally made foods and products.
“We’re thrilled with what’s happening, with Choose Iowa,” Naig said. “So much so that we’re gonna ask, a pretty significant ask, of you to continue to support that program.”
The program has more than 170 members in 72 Iowa Counties and Naig said he hopes to expand to 300 members this year.
The Choose Iowa program issued grants for value-added farm products, to dairy innovation and recently the department announced an allocation for butchery innovation. The initiative also had a pilot program aiding local food banks, and beginning this spring, from local schools.
Naig said these programs were successful and, like many of the programs supported by IDALS, the connections forged between partners through the programs can be even more meaningful than the financial assistance. “Bridging these gaps and creating these connections is really important,” Naig said.
The other side of Choose Iowa, Naig explained, is about building the Choose Iowa brand. Naig said the budget request to the subcommittee for Choose Iowa was “basically a doubling” of the program and would go towards marketing, web development, outreach and other administrative and promotional work.
In October, the state of Iowa intervened to care for 1.3 million birds following the bankruptcy of Pure Prairie Poultry Inc. The state ultimately had to depopulate the birds after existing liens prevented their sale to a processor.
Naig said the ordeal cost the state $2.3 million, and showed the need for a legislative change that would allow for a clean title in another event like this.
“Our inability to guarantee clean title to those birds that the state of Iowa took custody (of) prevented us from marketing those birds,” Naig said. “And something needs to be done in that process.”
Rep. Sami Scheetz, D-Cedar Rapids, noted recent moves from the Trump administration to put tariffs on products from Mexico and Canada, both of which have been postponed by a month, and asked Naig how this would affect Iowa farmers.
Naig said he is “not a fan” of tariffs in general, but said the president is using the tariffs as a “tool” to support his border and immigration policies.
“My hope is that tariffs do not have to be used,” Naig said. “Or if they are used, that they are used in a way that minimizes impact to agriculture, or that are not lengthy in their nature.”
YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.