Norwood runs for Secretary of Agriculture

MT PLEASANT — Friday, Polk County Soil & Water Commissioner John Norwood visited The Grange Pub and Brewhouse in Mt. Pleasant for a meet and greet.

Norwood was elected in Polk County 2018, but has set his eyes on the office of Iowa Secretary of Agriculture.

According to Norwood, Iowa’s systems are out of balance.

Water quality, soil loss, and population decline concern Norwood.

Norwood would like to focus on solutions, however, so he is running on a three solution platform.

“We need to manage the water and try to treat it as an asset,” Norwood said. “We can do this by filtering the water and recharging aquifers.”

This solution for water quality has already been put into practice in Polk County.

To address soil health, Norwood reminds Iowans that soil is meant to be alive.

“When you add the biology, that is what makes dirt soil,” Norwood said. “The animals and plants help the soil to be useful.”

Nutrient rich soil is able to hold additional weeks worth of water in cases of drought.

Diversification is also an important solution, according to Norwood.

“If you have a retirement fund you typically don’t put that in one stock or one company,” Norwood said. “Why? You want to reduce risk.”

Norwood would like to bring creative ways to add diversity to Iowa agriculture.

“We need to think about our definition of a farmer,” Norwood said. “Small farmers are important too.”

Norwood dreams of beginning more small communal farming communities much like an industry park, but for farming.

He wants farming to be more inclusive, and says that Iowa will be able to know they are on the right track when they see the population in rural Iowa begin to increase again.

Overall, Norwood would say that he is best pick for voters because he is an independent voice, a strategic thinker, and can see the big picture.

“As Iowans we can lead the world in so many aspects,” Norwood said.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com