On Tuesday evening, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue swore in Bill Northey as Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service.  Perdue applauded the Senate’s long-awaited confirmation of Bill Northey.  Northey’s job will encompass the USDA’s Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Risk Management Agency, under USDA’s reorganization.

The Senate Agriculture Committee held a hearing on Bill Northey on October 5 and was favorably reported out of the committee with a bipartisan voice vote and had support of more than 60 farm and conservation organizations. U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, announced on Tuesday that Bill Northey was approved by the Senate

“I applaud Bill Northey’s patience over these many months, which demonstrates what a strong leader he will be at USDA. We thank everyone who worked on his confirmation. Bill will come aboard at a crucial time, as his knowledge and expertise will be immediately put to use as the new Farm Bill is formulated to address the needs of American farmers,” Secretary of Agriculture Perdue said in a statement. “I am excited to finally have Bill on board,” Perdue said in a statement.

Bill Northey, a fourth-generation corn and soybean farmer, is a former president of the National Corn Growers Association and served in state and local roles for the Iowa Farm bureau.  He served as Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture for more than 11 years.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds also congratulated him saying, “Through it all, his commitment to this state and its people never wavered. Iowa is better thanks to his service, and the nation will be better with Bill in his new role as Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services.”  With Northey officially confirmed, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds will pick an Acting-Iowa Secretary of Agriculture.