Former Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey, a giant in the Iowa farm community, has died at the age of 64.

Northey served as Iowa Secretary of Agriculture from 2007 to 2018 and was the Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation for the U.S. Department of Agriculture from 2018 to 2021.

He most recently was the CEO of the Agribusiness Association of Iowa, which announced his death Monday.

“Bill was a tireless advocate for agriculture and a beloved leader for the entire AAI staff and organization. As we mourn the loss of our close colleague, we also extend our prayers for his family in this difficult time,” the statement says.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered all flags to be at half-staff until Northey is buried.

“Bill was a great leader whose work ethic and passion for Iowa agriculture was unmatched. Iowans and farmers around the country were fortunate to have such a rock-solid advocate and friend,” she said in a news release. “Bill understood well our responsibility to be good stewards of the land and exemplified that calling throughout his career. But his life’s greatest role was as a loving husband, father, and grandfather. Bill will be missed. Kevin and I offer our deepest condolences and prayers to Cindy and their family.”

According to the USDA, Northey was a fourth-generation farmer and was a commissioner of the Dickinson County Soil and Water Conservation District, and president and chairman of the National Corn Growers Association.

“Today the Iowa farm community lost a giant,” Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said in a release. “Bill Northey was a dear friend and fierce advocate for the family farmer.”

Current Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Naig, shared Grassley’s sentiment, saying he was a friend and a mentor.

“He loved Iowa and he loved Iowa agriculture,” Naig said in a statement. “His curiosity, care for others, and love of learning made him a leader that everyone could admire. Bill brought a farmer’s work ethic to every aspect of his life, and he was tireless in promoting our state, its people and our agriculture.”

This story will be updated.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Bill Northey, former Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, dies at age 64