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ASA Supports Nominations Of Northey, Ibach To USDA Under Secretary Posts

ASA Supports Nominations Of Northey, Ibach To USDA Under Secretary Posts
ASA Supports Nominations Of Northey, Ibach To USDA Under Secretary Posts
 
 
The American Soybean Association (ASA) announced its support today for the nominations of Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey and Nebraska Agriculture Director Greg Ibach to serve the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation and Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, respectively.
 
"Bill has been an exceptional public servant for Iowa farmers and we have no doubt that he will continue in this role on behalf of all American farmers at USDA," said ASA Vice President and Keota, Iowa, farmer John Heisdorffer. "Bill has always been both an open book and an open door to farmers. His accessibility and transparency as an advocate for farmers is something that will make him an excellent member of the team at USDA."
 
ASA Director Ken Boswell, who farms in Shickley, Neb., gave similar praise to Ibach. "Greg is a person that understands very well how different agricultural issues connect -- how row crop farmers rely on the livestock industry and how everyone in agriculture depends on consumers, both at home and abroad. That understanding will serve him and all of us very well."
 
In addition to supporting Northey and Ibach, ASA urged the Senate Agriculture Committee to take up both nominations, along with that of Stephen Vaden as USDA General Counsel, as soon as possible.
 
"It's no secret that farm country has serious needs that require immediate solutions, be they the dire situation facing producers in Texas following Hurricane Harvey , or the continuing pressure from low crop prices and farm income," said ASA President and Illinois farmer Ron Moore. "Secretary Sonny Perdue has done an admirable job of sitting down with farmers all across the country to hear our concerns and our hopes, but he can't do it alone. We hope that the Senate will take up and quickly confirm these nominations to help bring USDA to the staffing level it needs to be successful and effective."
 
 

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This presentation was recorded at Illinois Soybean Association's Better Beans event on January 11, 2024 in Bloomington, IL. Shaun Casteel, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Agronomy and Extension Soybean Specialist for Purdue University. Dr. Casteel was born and raised on the family farm in east-central Illinois. He earned his B.S. in Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois, his M.S. in Crop Science and his Ph.D. in Soil Science at North Carolina State University. He has given over 850 invited presentations to 60,000 people across the country and world. Key areas of interest include: sulfur synergies, precision management of resources and practices; integration of soil characteristics, nutrient inputs, and crop physiology; and the influence of agronomic practices on yield physiology of soybean. His practical research also extends to field-scale trials with seeding rates, sulfur, and intensive management of soybean. You can follow him on his podcast Purdue Crop Chat