The U-S Ag Secretary has started a tour of five Midwestern states that will pass through Iowa this weekend.  U-S Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue plans to gather input for the 2018 Farm Bill during his stops in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana. Perdue says he’ll be able to “hear directly from people in agriculture…as well as consumers” who “know best what the current issues are.” Perdue is a former veterinarian who served as Georgia’s governor. He’ll be a leading voice for the Trump Administration as congress writes the next Farm Bill.)

Perdue is in Wisconsin today (Thursday) and he’ll be in Minnesota tomorrow (Friday). On Saturday, Perdue will deliver the keynote address at the Iowa Ag Summit in Des Moines. The event’s organized and hosted by Iowa agribusinessman Bruce Rastetter. Early Saturday, Perdue plans to be in Sheffield to tour Sukup Manufacturing, which makes grain handling equipment. Perdue also will hold a midday roundtable discussion on Saturday in Des Moines with an invited group of farmers, then visit Living History Farms. On Sunday afternoon, Perdue will visit the Mississippi Valley Farm in Davenport.

(Radio Iowa)