Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig (center-left), Rep. Ashley Hinson (center), and Sen. Annette Sweeney (center-right) visit with Corteva full-time employees and management on their tour of the facility on Friday. Photo by Vanessa Roudabush.

Corteva Agriscience Facility in Toledo received a visit from Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and Congresswoman Ashley Hinson on Friday, Oct. 28. They toured the facility and experienced firsthand the science and process that goes into Iowa’s seed production.

Hinson talked about her enjoyment of her visit to Corteva.

“[It’s] really great way to peel back the curtain [on the] the full process of Iowa’s ag economy. Understanding how it goes directly from harvest all the way through the process of being bagged, but most importantly, understanding how the scientific process behind [it] and how big of a part that plays,” she said. “As we know, the ag economy is fierce and fast paced, and being competitive is important. I’m glad to see how many jobs are supported here, and a great company like this is essential to making sure we can continue to feed and fuel the world.”

Naig also shared his praise for the tour of Corteva’s operation in Toledo.

“This is just a good testament to this company’s deep roots in Iowa. We’ve been talking a lot about the food and agricultural supply chain, the impact of uncertainty in the marketplace, the cost of everything, and the pressure that puts on our farm economy,” he said. “It’s critical that companies like Corteva are able to be efficient and do what they do so our farmers can do what they do, and consumers can benefit from that. This is an essential piece of our food and ag center in this state.”

While on their visit, Naig and Hinson met several full-time employees at Corteva.

“I know we both appreciate meeting all the people who are here, all the essential people who make this work. You can learn about the processes and look at the equipment then it’s great to meet the people who make this thing happen. We’re glad they get up and do this every day,” Naig said.

Their visit wasn’t just pleasant but also educational.

“[I learned about] the global reach of this company. How they’re working to–expand their footprint across the globe. From the research and development side, learning about how these advances are trying to outgun yourself every year,” Hinson said. “You want to advance, a bigger yield, a better product. They’re continually striving for a better product every single year. Learning about how all that science works behind and how they continue to try and advance it, I’m impressed.”

Hinson and Naig have been traveling across the state, experiencing firsthand the agricultural process of Iowa. One concern on their journey was the supply chain, as Naig says.

“We’ve been on a farm, to Heartland Coop, ag retailers [and] now further down the supply chain with seed manufacturers here. There is a timeliness to what we do in agriculture. Right now, [the] workforce is a challenge. We’ve got to get people back into the workforce. We’ve got logistics around moving things to and from the farm are critically important,” Naig said. “[We] meet great people, farmers, and businesses that are connected in that supply chain and are all working together. There are some challenges ahead. We really have to focus on that as a country because, ultimately, consumers benefit when we have a very efficient and productive supply chain, and we need productivity now more than ever in this country.”

Agriculture is always volatile, but the supply chain and inflation of the last few years have made the situation even more difficult.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty in the ag community right now about inflation and the cost of fuel and fertilizer. Those are all the pressures on our ag community now,” Naig said.

In September, Iowa entered into an agreement with Taiwan for the purchase of Iowa’s grain, and Hinson believes it is an important development in terms of securing more markets for products grown here.

“It’s a critical agreement for both our state, our country, and the future of Taiwan. It’s a monumental agreement, a stability agreement [and] a promise that our countries back each other. Geopolitically as well as for our economy, it’s a win-win,” Hinson said.

As the Secretary of Agriculture in Iowa, Naig also stressed the importance of exporting Iowa goods.

“Exports matter to Iowa. We’re #2 in the nation, second only to California when it comes to the value of food and ag products that we export. Trade matters. We’ve got significant export markets, and we need to be focused on expanding trade,” he said. “We need to see more trade agreements. That’s something we’d like to see more of in the next couple of years. Agreements like we have with trading partners and long-term relationships.”

While unable to say much about her campaign, Hinson did want to assure constituents about her shared concern for inflation and the rising cost of living.

“Americans are tired of extra spending. They’re tired of inflation. I stop at businesses and gas stations, and everywhere I go, people are talking about inflation and [its] impact on them. It’s my job to be a brick wall against policies I think are taking this country and state in the wrong direction,” she said. “That’s the promise I can make to Iowans, I’ll keep fighting for taxpayers and making sure rural America has a seat at the table.”

Hinson voted against the Inflation Reduction Act this past August, which aims to curb inflation by reducing the deficit, lowering prescription drug prices, and investing in domestic energy production while promoting clean energy.