Iowa Talking Points — Chris Jones, Democratic Candidate, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture

Chris Jones is the Democratic nominee for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, challenging Republican incumbent Mike Naig. A retired research engineer from the University of Iowa's Institute of Hydraulic Research, Jones spent his career studying Iowa water quality and became one of the state's most prominent voices on agricultural pollution. He co-founded the nonprofit Iowa Driftless Water Defenders in 2024 and has published a collection of essays on agricultural pollution in Iowa. His platform calls for diversified agricultural practices, stronger regulation of polluters and concentrated animal feeding operations, a plan requiring 50% of Iowa school meals to be locally sourced, and systemic reform rather than incremental fixes to Iowa's water crisis. Jones joined Jeff Stein at Iowa Talking Points Studio to discuss his vision for Iowa agriculture and clean water.