Republican Mike Naig is seeking a third term
Farms.com continues to tee up 2026 agriculture commissioner/secretary elections with an early look at Iowa.
Republican incumbent Mike Naig confirmed his intentions to seek a third term as the state’s ag representative in May 2025 after considering a run for the governorship.
On Jan. 6 he announced the introduction of the Iowa Farm Act, a piece of legislation that would operate similar to the federal farm bill.
Among the bill’s promises are:
- Modernizing Iowa’s farm zoning exemptions,
- Eliminating the grain excise tax paid by cooperatives and grain handlers, and
- Increasing truck gross weight allowances for dairy products.
As of Jan. 14, Naig is the only confirmed Republican on the ag ballot.
And two candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination.
One is Chris Jones, a retired University of Iowa water scientist and president of Driftless Water Defenders, a group concerned with agriculture’s impact on water resources.
His platform includes 28 ideas to help Iowans have “a prosperous countryside AND clean water for all…”
This list includes:
- Regulating nutrient inputs within the watershed framework,
- Banning manure applications from Dec. 1 to March 15,
- Creating land halos around cities for food production, and
- Fast-tracking necessary farm workers for citizenship.
The other person in the running for the Democratic spot on the ag secretary ballot is Wade Dooley, a sixth-generation farmer from Marshalltown.
He wants to be Iowa’s next secretary of agriculture because he believes the department should be putting farmers’ needs first.
“Agriculture is the heart of Iowa’s economy and the communities and families who depend on it deserve a partner who will help them succeed – that’s why I’m running,” his website says.
The deadline for candidates to file nomination paperwork is March 13. Any primaries will occur on June 2, with the general election scheduled for Nov. 3.