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In his January 15 Condition of the State address from the floor of the Iowa statehouse, Gov. Terry Branstad voiced his intent to reform education and prioritize healthcare in the year ahead. Branstad did not address any pressing ag issues, however, such as the drought or water quality. Iowa Ag Secretary Bill Northey says the omission of ag issues isn’t because Branstad won’t be dealing with them. In fact, Northey says discussions on the worst case scenario for Iowa agriculture are already happening. But will state government adequately address those issues?
Northey says Branstad has not only shown support of agriculture, but also a sensitivity to its challenges in the upcoming year by including funding for IDALS’s agriculture water quality initiative in his and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds’ budget for fiscal years 2014 and 2015.
The agriculture water quality initiative refers to the practical implementation of the principles contained in the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy.
