Iowa agriculture secretary of discusses his career and entry into public service – Iowa State Daily
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig spoke on leadership and life lessons Thursday at Marston Hall.
Speaking on his career and political journey, the Republican secretary emphasized the influence of years of improv in school.
“At a fundamental level, the concept within improv can, I think, benefit us as we’re going into our careers,” Naig said. “The basic building block of improv is yes, and. Yes, and. It’s a simple rule.”
Naig used his college internship in Washington, D.C., as an example: “I wasn’t sure I could afford it. They weren’t going to accept me anyway. I wasn’t even sure I wanted to go.”
However, after repeated pushes by his Professor, Naig applied for the internship. Ultimately, Naig got the internship and even received a scholarship, allowing him to afford the move.
“When I had sat in the office and said no, I shouldn’t, I don’t want to, I don’t think it’ll happen, and there I was with doors opening, all because I turned that no into a yes,” said Naig.
In 2013, Naig was offered Iowa’s deputy secretary of agriculture by former Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey. Originally, Naig wasn’t interested in the job, telling Northey, “this isn’t right for me, but I will help you find a new candidate.”
Naig claims it was advice from a friend that changed his mind.
“You better consider this,” Naig said. “Eventually, these calls stop coming. If you say no, people will find out you don’t say yes to things, you aren’t the kind of person who considers opportunities… Don’t say no immediately.”
Then, in 2018, Northey was appointed secretary of agriculture for farm production and conservation, and Naig was appointed Iowa secretary of agriculture to fill the vacancy. Naig then won the election in 2018 and re-election in 2022.
Naig credits being open to opportunities for his success.
“I never planned to be there, those situations came,” Naig said. “I had to be open to them and say yes, and then turn around and work hard to pursue those opportunities. You can really set yourself up for long-term success by embracing the yes, and. But only you can really do that part.”
Before ending his lecture, Naig stressed the importance of agriculture.
“Ag is no passing fad, it’s not going to go out of style,” Naig said. “We’re not going to look back on a time where ag is a thing, and now it’s not… Three times a day, people need agriculture.”
After his lecture, Naig also answered audience questions.
Naig was asked how he works as a leader.
“At some point, a decision has to be made about how we move forward,” Naig said. “If you just run people over and give the impression that you don’t care what they said or what their opinions are. You’ll lose them. You’ll lose a great talent… Don’t stop a conversation too soon; let it go.”
Naig was also asked about re-election in 2026.
“I have not announced anything about re-election, but I’m doing all the things a person would do to make that a successful run,” Naig said.
Finally, Naig was asked about carbon pipelines in Iowa.
“Does it have the potential for [environmental] impact? Yes,” Naig said. “Is a pipeline the only way to do it? No. Is it a way to do it? Yes.”
Naig went on to explain his stance on Eminent Domain in Iowa.
“Eminent Domain should be rare,” Naig said. “There should be a process around it, which there is. The utilities for it, there ought to be due process for folks. And I also think there ought to be rates for landowners in terms of restoration, damages paid, compensations for yields. This is our land, we want it to be useful after the project is done… We can’t just say we should never use it in the State of Iowa, we’ll never be able to build major projects again if we do that. Do we want to limit it? Restrict it? Make it even more rare? I can live with those types of things.”
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