Legislature needs to focus on clean water in 2026

Iowa is an agricultural state and plays a major role in feeding America and the rest of the world. Iowa has the best soil in the world. We need to value the impact that agriculture has on our economy and Iowans who are involved in that industry. We must realize that we have work to do in water quality for the benefit of all Iowans. Having an abundant supply of clean water will determine our economic growth for the decades to come.

We have all heard about the high nitrate levels that were found in our water supply. There has been plenty of finger-pointing on who is at fault. Iowa legislators of both political parties need to come together, along with all interested parties, to move in a positive direction. We need to unite, not divide.

We have the science and know what will work to drastically reduce the nutrients going into the waterways, so we have clean water to drink for generations to come.

We need to start by funding monitoring programs to measure and track our progress. We also need to set realistic goals that are measurable. We should bring both state, public, and private partnerships together to help fund the acceleration and adoption of water initiatives that would include cover crops, Bio Reactors, Buffer Strips, and Wetlands. We should look at technology in equipment to determine the amount of nutrients farmers need to apply. Tax credits for best practices and 0% interest revolving loans for new equipment that fits the goal of nutrient reduction.

We need to invest a larger portion of our state budget into these water quality initiatives. What we are doing now is not enough. We need to incentivize these practices, partner with farmers, and track our results. We need to realize our natural resources are too valuable to ignore. This investment in our water should be a larger priority as we look to attract and retain people in our state. The State should play a larger role in leading on clean water. Iowans know this will take time, and we need to start now.

Kenan Judge is a Democratic state representative representing Waukee and Clive in Dallas County and is currently serving his fourth term. Kenan.Judge@legis.iowa.gov