TOGETHER. IOWA’S AGRICULTURE SECRETARY SURVEYS IMPROVEMENTS MADE TO AREA LEVEES IN THE WAKE OF, REPEAT DEVASTATING FLOODS. MIKE NAIG MADE SEVERAL STOPS TODAY, INCLUDING SHELBY AND POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTIES FOR IOWA AGRICULTURE WEEK. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S MADISON PERALES IS AT DESOTO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE WITH THE STORY. TODAY’S THEME IN IOWA AG WEEK IS RESILIENCE. SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE MIKE NAIG CAME OUT TO TALK TO LOCAL OFFICIALS ABOUT LEVEES HERE IN IOWA, AND ALSO TO LOOK AT PAST SUCCESSES AND TO LOOK TO THE FUTURE. SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE MIKE NAIG GOT HIS BOOTS ON THE GROUND IN POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY TODAY TO LEARN THE UPDATES ON LEVEE REPAIR PROGRESS. SEVERAL LOCAL OFFICIALS SHOWED UP TO SHARE THEIR CONCERNS. IF YOU REMEMBER, IN 2011 AND 2019, POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY EXPERIENCED DEVASTATING FLOODS THAT KNOCKED DOWN THE LEVEES AND CALLED FOR THEM TO BE FIXED. BUT LAST YEAR’S FLOOD EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR DOUG REED, SAYS THANKS TO IMPROVEMENTS, IT WASN’T AS BAD AS THE OTHERS. BUT. BUT THE ONE THING THAT 2024 DID SHOW US IS AREAS THAT WE WOULD HAVE EXPECTED A FLOOD OR DID IN PREVIOUS BIGGER FLOODING EVENTS. YOU KNOW, WITH THE INVESTMENTS WE’VE MADE INTO REPAIRING AND THE LEVEE SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, WE SAW THAT THEY HELD AND THEY PROTECTED SOME OF THOSE AREAS. REED HOPES SECRETARY NAIG WILL, QUOTE, KEEP FIGHTING THE FIGHT AND TO MAKE INVESTMENTS TO PREVENT FUTURE LOSSES LIKE THE ONES IN 2011 AND 2019. FARMER AND TRUSTEE OF PIGEON DRAINAGE DISTRICT, FRANK MORAN IS HOPING FOR THE SAME THING. OUR FARMS ARE AWAY FROM WHAT GETS FLOODED, BUT I REPRESENT A DISTRICT THAT DOES GET FLOODED, INCLUDING THE INTERSTATE. BUT WHEN THE INTERSTATE CLOSES, THE TRAFFIC ON THE OLD HIGHWAY, THAT DOES AFFECT ME SEVERELY. I TALKED TO SECRETARY NAIG AND HIS MAIN TAKEAWAY GOING FORWARD IS TO BE THINKING PROACTIVELY AND NOT REACTIVELY, AND TO LEARN FROM THE PAST. WE TRY TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE FOR FOLKS, FOR POLICYMAKERS, THE LEGISLATURE, AGAIN, THERE’S BEEN GREAT LEADERSHIP BY THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE ON INVESTING IN THESE THINGS. WE NEED TO OBVIOUSLY KEEP THAT GOING. NAIG WENT TO SHELBY COUNTY BEFORE THIS VISIT, AND THEN HE WENT ON TO TALK TO FARMERS ABOUT THE SEVERE WEATHER