Ag Secretary Naig Visits Buena Vista, Warns of Tight 2026 Farm Economy

Mike Naig warned roughly 50 farmers and local ag lenders at the Cobblestone Ballroom in Lakeside that the 2026 farm economy is tightening, saying producers face rising input costs and softer commodity prices during a Feb. 26 stop on his annual 99-county tour. Naig addressed the Citizens First National Bank meeting from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., telling attendees the lack of a new Farm Bill and continued Washington gridlock are compounding on-farm financial pressures.

Storm Lake Radio reported Naig described the situation as a broad, sector-wide stress and said policy gridlock "isn't helping" producers trying to plan for the year ahead. Local coverage noted Naig opened remarks with a nod to his Storm Lake roots and that the meeting drew area bankers, producers and ag-industry participants in addition to the roughly 50 farmers in attendance.

Fuel policy was a focal point of Naig’s visits. He renewed his push for nationwide, year-round E15 and, when asked about stalled efforts in Washington, called the delay "beyond frustrating." KCIM and Storm Lake Radio both recorded Naig emphasizing renewable fuels as a priority alongside the need for clearer federal policy on farm supports.

Naig’s Lakeside address was one stop in a day of Buena Vista County events. KCIM reported he toured a local beef production operation earlier that day, held a roundtable with greenhouse, nursery and cut-flower business owners in Wall Lake at a shop identified as Cathy’s Flower Habit (also spelled Kathy’s Flower Habit in photo captions), and ended the day at Vintage Beef Farm in Charter Oak. KCIM noted Vintage Beef received a $20,000 Choose Iowa grant in 2024 to convert a historic railroad depot into a community farm store, and Naig inspected how those funds were used.

The secretary highlighted state programs as tools for growers facing tighter margins. KCIM described Choose Iowa as a state initiative that helps Iowa-grown and produced products reach new markets; local greenhouse and nursery owners at the Wall Lake roundtable told Naig the program has helped them expand sales and services. Naig has repeatedly promoted value-added processing, agritourism and direct-to-consumer marketing as part of the department’s strategy to broaden farm incomes.

Naig’s background surfaced during the tour: he was appointed Iowa secretary of agriculture on March 5, 2018 after serving as deputy secretary beginning in September 2013, and he graduated from Buena Vista University in 2000. The Iowa Department of Agriculture’s calendar shows additional scheduled regional activity, with a later listing of visits to Cherokee and Buena Vista Counties on March 29–30, underscoring that the statewide tour includes multiple stops across weeks.

Local rural partners have been part of Naig’s broader outreach this winter. Harrison County REC reported a Jan. 16 visit in Woodbine where Naig discussed modernizing farm zoning exemptions, updating transportation standards for agricultural equipment, supporting family farm succession and expanding local food markets through Choose Iowa. As Naig moves through Buena Vista County and neighboring counties, his message was clear: without a new Farm Bill and action on fuel policy, many Iowa producers should prepare for a tighter 2026 farm economy even as state programs try to provide new market opportunities.