DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey was elected president of the National Assoc. of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) for the 2011-12 term at the organization’s annual meeting, Sept. 14-19, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

“I’m excited for this opportunity and appreciate the support of NASDA members,” he said. “As negotiations pick up on the next farm bill and discussions continue on a variety of other important public policy areas, I am committed to providing a unified voice for the organization, and working with NASDA members to highlight the important role of state departments of agriculture.”

Established in 1915, NASDA – which opened an office in Washington, D.C., in 1968 – is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association that represents the commissioners, secretaries and directors of the state departments of agriculture in all 50 states and four U.S. territories.

A fourth-generation farmer who raises corn and soybeans near Spirit Lake, Northey will host NASDA members when they meet in Des Moines Sept. 12-17, 2012. The last Iowan to serve as NASDA president was Sec. Robert Lounsberry, in 1981-82. Now in his second term as Iowa’s agriculture secretary, Northey’s priorities have been promoting the use of science and new technologies to better care for air, soil and water and telling the story of Iowa agriculture.

As regulators of significant aspects of the nation’s agriculture industry, NASDA members are actively involved in ensuring the safety of an abundant food supply, protecting animal and plant health, environmental stewardship and promoting the vitality of rural communities.

Others elected to NASDA posts were North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler as NASDA first vice president, Massachusetts Agriculture Commissioner Scott Soares as second vice president and Hawaii Agriculture Chair Russell Kokubun as secretary-treasurer.

Other members elected to the NASDA’s board of directors include the presidents of the four NASDA regions. Indiana Agriculture Director Joe Kelsay represents the Midwest region (MASDA). Vermont Agriculture Secretary Chuck Ross represents the Northeastern region (NEASDA).

South Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers is from the Southern region (SASDA). Finally, Wyoming Agriculture Director Jason Fearneyhough represents the Western region (WASDA).

Delaware Agriculture Secretary Ed Kee will serve as the at-large representative on the board and Utah Agriculture Commissioner Leonard Blackham remains as immediate past-president.

In June, Northey traveled to South Korea and China on a trade promotion trip to speak to key customers of Iowa products in these two countries that are vital trading partners with Iowa.

“As the world becomes more interconnected and the importance of trade continues to grow,” he said, “Iowa’s strong agricultural base and top-notch manufacturing goods leaves our state well-positioned to benefit greatly from the relationship cultivated during this trip.”