(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture says he doesn’t yet know how proposed cuts of billions of U-S-D-A dollars might affect Iowans. Agencies that would be impacted include the Farm Service Agency and Rural Development programs, and likely the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which helps low-income families purchase food. Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig says he trusts U.S. Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins.

“I know that Secretary Rollins has said many times she wants to bring USDA back to its core mission and to be farmer-focused,” Naig says. “We’re going to take them at their word, and so there’s everything from, how is USDA reorganized and rightsized and does it continue to put farmers first?”

Mike Naig (Iowa PBS photo)

Naig says he’s hopeful countries will continue trade negotiations after the U.S. recently signed a deal with Vietnam in which Iowa farmers will receive 800-million dollars for ag products — mostly corn, soybeans, and pork.