These are critical times for U.S. agriculture, times that call for farmers to have qualified and steady leadership in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Farmers need the department to lead the way in maintaining the federal farm safety net as crop prices have eroded below the cost of production. The de­­partment’s leadership will also be crucial in the drafting of a new farm bill in the coming months. In addition, farmers in Iowa and other states are also counting on the USDA to be a reliable...