Iowa State alumnus and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey has been confirmed by the Senate to a top post in the United States Department of Agriculture.

Northey, 58, was originally nominated for the role in September, 2017 but was blocked by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-TX, an opponent of ethanol.

The date for Northey’s resignation as Iowa Secretary of Agriculture and subsequent swearing in have yet to be announced.

Northey graduated from the college of agriculture in 1981. He served as the president and chairman of the National Corn Growers Association in the mid 1990s. Northey has also been involved in several Farm Bureau offices.

Northey has been credited with water conservation efforts in Iowa, as discussed in a 2016 Iowa State Daily article.