DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today announced that he will again be visiting each of Iowa’s 99 counties in 2009 to meet with Iowans and discuss agriculture and the issues facing farmers in the state.  Northey will begin his 2009 visits at a crop fair in Missouri Valley and a town meeting Shelby County on Wednesday, January 21st. The crop fair will be at the Rand Center in Missouri Valley and Northey’s town meeting will be at the Farm Bureau office in Harlan. “I’ve learned from the meetings I’ve attended in each of the counties over the past two years and I’m sure this year will be no different,” Northey said.  “It’s a challenging time on and off the farm and I’m excited to hear from Iowans about the issues facing agriculture.” The details of the visits follow here: Wednesday, January 21, 2009 Harrison County – 10:00 a.m., Iowa Corn Crop Fair, Rand Center, 100 South 4th St., Missouri Valley Shelby County – 12:30 p.m., Farm Bureau office, 908 6th St., Harlan Northey, a corn and soybean farmer from Spirit Lake, is serving his first term as Secretary of Agriculture. His priorities as Secretary of Agriculture are the opportunities in renewable energy, conservation and stewardship, and telling the story of Iowa agriculture. - 30 -