Julie Kenney grew up on a family farm near Lohrville, Iowa helping her parents and grandparents with their crop, livestock, and seed dealership. Today, Julie and her husband, Mark, and two children own and operate a corn and soybean farm in Story County. Julie has been an advocate for Iowa agriculture across the country through her work with the CommonGround program, a project dedicated to removing the misconceptions and myths surrounding farming and food, and by regularly hosting international visitors, media and other groups on her farm. Before joining the Department, Julie had been active in the agribusiness industry for nearly 15 years, serving in marketing and public affairs roles for private industry, state, and national associations and checkoff programs. Julie was appointed Iowa Deputy Secretary of Agriculture in 2018. As Deputy Secretary, Julie is responsible for the operations of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, focusing on policy, budget, and personnel.