Bill Northey | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2018 | |
| Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm Production and Conservation | |
| In office March 6, 2018 – January 20, 2021 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Michael Scuse |
| Succeeded by | Robert Bonnie |
| 14thSecretary of Agriculture of Iowa | |
| In office January 2, 2007 – March 5, 2018 | |
| Governor | Chet Culver Terry Branstad Kim Reynolds |
| Preceded by | Patty Judge |
| Succeeded by | Mike Naig |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Howard Northey (1959-05-27)May 27, 1959 Spirit Lake, Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | February 5, 2024(2024-02-05) (aged 64) West Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Cindy Northey |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Iowa State University (BS) Southwest Minnesota State University (MBA) |
William Howard Northey (May 27, 1959 – February 5, 2024) was an American politician who served as the Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation in theUnited States Department of Agriculture from 2018 to 2021.[1] A member of theRepublican Party, he previously served as theSecretary of Agriculture of Iowa, first elected on November 7, 2006, and sworn in on January 2, 2007. In that position he led theIowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
Northey graduated fromIowa State University with anundergraduate degree in agricultural business in 1981 and was a member of theFarmHouse fraternity, serving as its president during his senior year. Northey received aMaster in Business Administration degree fromSouthwest Minnesota State University in 2004.[2]
Northey and his wife, Cindy, had three daughters. Northey died in February 2024 at the age of 64 in West Des Moines.[3]
Northey was active in agriculture groups at the county, state, and national levels. From 1995 to 1996, Northey served as president of theNational Corn Growers Association and was chairman of the group in 1996 and 1997.[4] He also led a number of committees for the Corn Growers. Northey was named a "Friend of Agriculture" by the Iowa Farm Bureau Political Action Committee in 2006 and served in a number of Farm Bureau offices at the county and state level, including serving as president, vice president, and committee chairman of theDickinson County Farm Bureau.[5]
Northey also served on the IowaUSDA Farm Service Agency State Committee, was a Dickinson County Soil and Water Conservation District Commissioner, and was a board member of Ag Ventures Alliance.
Northey was co-founder and president of Innovative Growers, LLC, which is an organization hatched from ISU Extension Leadership. Innovative Growers is a farmer-owned and farmer-managed group designed to capitalize on demand for the production of specialty grain products. On his farm, Northey employed the farming practices ofreduced tillage,GPS, grid soil sampling and identity preserved production. He raised crops ofcorn andsoybeans.[4]
Northey ran for Secretary of Agriculture on a platform of expanding opportunities in renewable energy, promoting conservation and stewardship, and telling the story of Iowa agriculture. He ran againstDemocrat Denise O'Brien. He won the election 50% to 48%.[6] In 2010, he was re-elected by a margin of 60% to 35% against Democrat Francis Thicke.In 2014, Northey won re-election with over 62% of the vote.
In September 2017, Northey was nominated to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm Production and Conservation by PresidentDonald Trump.[7] After a hold by SenatorTed Cruz[8][9] was lifted on February 27, 2018, Northey was confirmed by the Senate.[10]
As part of a reorganization of the USDA, Secretary of AgricultureSonny Perdue created a new Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, as directed by the 2014 Farm Bill. The creation of the new mission area prompted the realignment of several agencies under a newly named Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC), the position which Northey held until 2021. FPAC encompasses the USDA's domestic-facing agencies: theFarm Service Agency, theNatural Resources Conservation Service, and theRisk Management Agency.[11]
| Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Republican primary election, 2006 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Bill Northey | 32,911 | 46.75 |
| Republican | Mark Leonard | 28,315 | 40.22 |
| Republican | Karey Claghorn | 9,089 | 12.91 |
| Iowa Secretary of Agriculture election, 2006 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Bill Northey | 523,539 | 50.23 |
| Democratic | Denise O'Brien | 495,873 | 47.57 |
| Iowa Secretary of Agriculture election, 2010 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Bill Northey (incumbent) | 674,572 | 59.52 |
| Democratic | Francis Thicke | 398,428 | 35.15 |
| Write-ins | Write-ins | 849 | 0.07 |
| Iowa Secretary of Agriculture election, 2014 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Bill Northey (incumbent) | 675,781 | 59.17 |
| Democratic | Sherrie Taha | 370,209 | 32.41 |
| New Independent | Levi Benning | 39,349 | 3.45 |
| Write-ins | Write-ins | 891 | 0.08 |
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Askew | Republican nominee forSecretary of Agriculture of Iowa 2006, 2010, 2014 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Secretary of Agriculture of Iowa 2007–2018 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services 2018–2021 | Succeeded by |
