Annette Sweeney (R)

Senator Annette Sweeney, R-Alden, recently received her committee assignments for the 2023 legislative session, starting January 9.

Senator Sweeney will chair the Senate Natural Resources Committee. She will also be serving on the Agriculture, Health and Human Services, and Ways and Means committees. Additionally, she will be serving as the co-chair of the International Relations Committee and the vice chair on the Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee.

“These committee assignments for the next year provide me a great opportunity to work on the issues I am passionate about and the issues that matter to Iowans,” said Senator Sweeney. “Serving on these committees will allow me to work on important tax reforms, including property tax relief for working families, promote agriculture for Iowa’s farmers, and make improvements to our health care system for Iowans in need.”

An Iowa native, Senator Annette Sweeney grew up on a family farm near Buckeye. After graduating from college, she educated middle school students as a teacher of English and speech. Upon her father’s untimely death in 1983, Senator Sweeney moved back home to Buckeye to the family farm with her mother and sister. She and her husband, Dave, still operate the farm today.

Senator Sweeney has deep connections to Iowa’s agriculture community. During her time as a state representative, Sweeney served as chair of the Iowa House Agriculture Committee before going on to serve as Iowa Rural Development Director for the United States Department of Agriculture.

Senator Sweeney has served in numerous professional and community leadership positions with various organizations, including the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance, Iowa Women in Agriculture, Hardin County Assessor Board and Review, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Iowa 4-H, Iowa Angus Association, and Congressman Tom Latham’s Ag Advisory Task Force.

In the upcoming General Assembly Senator Sweeney will represent Senate District 27 in the Iowa Senate, covering Hardin, Grundy, and Poweshiek counties, and parts of Black Hawk and Tama counties.