We usually see Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey on the even year Farm Progress Shows in his home state, but for the first time he paid a visit across the border to the Illinois show.

“It’s always great to be at a Farm Progress Show,” said Northey. “And I get to see a lot of Iowans at the Illnois Farm Progress Show.”

I had the opportunity to catch up with Secretary Northey about a number of important issues for agriculture, including the Clean Water Rule, which went into effect on August 28 for all but 13 states granted an injunction by a federal judge under a lawsuit they filed. “Iowa is not one of them,” said Northey. “Actually, Iowa is not on any of these different lawsuits out there. I think we ought to be, we may well be at some point….so I guess it’s going into effect in Iowa but we don’t even know what that means.”

In this interview, Northey also comments on the crops in Iowa, the presidential candidates that just visited the state fair, and how the state is recovering from avian flu. [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/fps-northey.mp3″ text=”Interview with Iowa Ag Secretary Bill Northey”]

2015 Farm Progress Show Photo Album