Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Bill Northey has issued the following statement following the U.S. Senate confirming him to serve as the Under Secretary of Agriculture.

The timing for Northey’s resignation and swearing-in is still being finalized and will be announced at a later date.

In a statement, Northey said, “It is a tremendous honor for me to be confirmed to serve as Under Secretary of Agriculture. I want to thank President Trump for nominating me and Secretary Purdue for his support and encouragement throughout the confirmation process. I also want to thank Iowa Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst for their strong support and their tireless work on behalf of my nomination. I look forward to continuing to work closely with them in this new role.

“While this process has taken longer than expected, I remain as excited as ever to work with Secretary Purdue and the staff at the USDA to support our nation’s farmers and ranchers.

“I want to express my deep appreciation to the people of Iowa for affording me the opportunity to serve in this role for the past 11 years. Working with and learning from the men and women who make Iowa agriculture the dynamic and productive industry that feeds the world has been honor of a lifetime.”