Sen. Annette Sweeney (R-Iowa Falls).

IOWA FALLS – Rural Buckeye native Annette Sweeney has announced her re-election candidacy for Iowa Senate District #27, which encompasses all of Hardin, Grundy, Poweshiek, much of Tama, and a portion of Black Hawk counties.

With the enthusiastic support of her family Annette looks forward to the continuation of her service to the constituents of Senate District #27. Her vision for Iowa focuses on traditional family relationships and values; sensible and accountable spending by government; responsibly reducing taxes; building an infrastructure that supports Iowa’s renewable energy opportunities, livestock and value-added industries; preservation of Iowa’s environment and natural resources; and the revitalization of rural communities and schools.

Sweeney was born and raised on her family’s third-generation farm outside Buckeye, where her son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren now reside, representing the fourth and fifth generation. Annette was very active in her church, 4-H, sports, drama and speech activities in her community. She transitioned her special affection for girls’ softball into a college career at Concordia College LCMS at Seward, NE, where she ultimately graduated with a BA in English, speech/drama with a minor in coaching.

Annette began teaching middle school English in Peoria, IL, an occupation that was cut short by the untimely death of her father in 1983. She came home to take control of her family’s row crop and purebred cow/calf operation. Undeterred by her gender, Annette called upon the tenacity that has become her trademark and negotiated a maze of financial burdens brought about by the farm crisis and inheritance tax debts.

In 1985, Annette married David Sweeney, and the couple continued to lead the family business while raising sons Jim and Joe. After a three-year endeavor as Executive Director of the Iowa Angus Association, Annette founded a home-raised publishing business called Practical Promotions. With an open seat in 2008, Annette was recruited to run for the Iowa House and served from 2009 thru 2012. While in the House of Representatives, she served on the following committees: Agriculture (Chair), Natural Resources, Education, Veterans Affairs, and Agriculture Appropriation. During her time in the Iowa House, she received the Herbert Hoover Uncommon Public Servant award; Legislator of the year from Crop Life America, Iowa Pet Breeders and Iowa Sportsman Alliance.

In 2017 Sweeney was appointed by President Trump to serve as the USDA Iowa Rural Development director. Annette traveled the state allocating a wide range of programs in housing, business, community facilities and utilities to benefit small communities. Then early in 2018 Annette was asked by community members, family and friends to once again return to the Iowa Legislature in a special election for the Iowa Senate. After discussions with then Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and members of the Trump Administration, Annette ran for the seat and won her nomination and special election overwhelmingly.

Senator Sweeney currently serves as chairman of the Natural Resources and Environment committee, as well as Agriculture, Ways and Means, Education, Technology, Commerce, Health and Human Services and International Relations committees. Outside of her legislative responsibilities Annette volunteers or has volunteered to the Ellsworth Community College Ag Advisory Council, Hardin County Extension Board, 4-H leader, Sunday School and Confirmation instructor, Church organist and vocalist for weddings and funerals in the community.

Professional organizations in her portfolio include the International Board of the States Agriculture Rural Leaders (SARL) where she serves as President elect, Council of State Government and National Council of State Legislators Ag Task Forces; former Co-Chair of Iowa’s Renewable Future; and is a member of the Empower Rural Iowa task force and Farm to Table task force. She is a recurring Farm Bureau “Friend ofAgriculture” recipient and enjoys an “A” rating with NRA.

Senator Sweeney has a long track record of fighting against East and West coast out-of-state organizations whose goals are the complete destruction of Iowa’s family farms and rural Iowa itself. As author of the Ag Protection Act back in 2013, she stood up against anti-agriculture groups crafting original legislation that held up against a decade of court challenges, finally upheld by the Iowa Supreme Court. More recently, she has created or helped sponsor legislation that shored up the Iowa Recreational Use Statute to protect landowners from unjust liability claims; reduced increasing land acquisitions from private citizens to government hands; assured that engineers and surveyors working in Iowa are licensed in Iowa; made railroads comply with drainage laws; assured landowners of appropriate soil restorations after infrastructure installations; authored and sponsored privacy legislation that made intrusive drone flights unlawful. Finally, she voted in favor of Amendment 3165 that would have given landowners the upper hand in easement and eminent domain negotiations. Annette’s work on restoring the Grain Indemnity Fund through the original self-funding process garnered her the coveted 2024 “Friend of Iowa Corn” from Iowa Corn Growers Association.

Annette and Dave’s son Jim is an engineer employed in the area, his wife Rachel is a registered dietician with ISU Extension; Son, Joe is a fractional CFO in Des Moines. All three are Iowa State alumni with advanced degrees in their field. Three grandchildren include four-year old Thomas, two-year old Esther and the recent arrival, John. Her husband of 40 years, Dave, is a veteran cattle producer who is passionate about livestock and environmental issues, as witnessed by his involvement in the local Cattleman’s Association, ECC Equine Advisory Board, past President of the South Fork Watershed Alliance and recipient of the IDAL’s Environmental Leader Award. Dave currently serves as Chair of the Board of Elders in their local church.

Senator Sweeney concluded, “I look forward to continuing to serve our rural district and meeting with people to hear their concerns. I want to continue to capitalize on the relationships I have built in the Legislature, farm sector, business and education communities to vitalize our rural neighborhoods”.