Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey says technology is important to farming

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey speaks at NICC Wednesday

In 1850, under one thousand people lived in Winneshiek County.  20 years later, in 1870, 26,000 people lived in Winneshiek County. 

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey told an audience at the NICC Dairy Center in Calmar on Wednesday that the migration into Winneshiek County was caused by people wanting to farm the fertile fields in the area.  And once these new settlers arrive, "they all wanted their kids to be educated."

That's what made Northey's visit to NICC appropriate on Tuesday.  He said educating students about the latest technologies in farming "is such a critical part of what we do."

That's because "ag is hugely important to the state's economy," said Northey.  He noted that the combined sale of agricultural products raised in Iowa in 2002 was $12 billion, but that figure had grown to $30 billion in 2012.

Northey says Iowa has some of the most productive land in the world.  But he also stressed the need to continue to make sure farmers have the education and resources they need.