The offices of the Des Moines Register’s opinion staff were mostly empty when my telephone rang late one afternoon about 15 years ago. The guard at the lobby security desk said two men were there and hoped I had time to meet with them. I said sure and invited them up to our office on the ...
Every Iowan deserves clean, safe drinking water. That’s not negotiable. It’s fundamental to our health, our communities, and our quality of life. As Secretary of Agriculture, protecting our natural resources while keeping Iowa agriculture strong has been one of my top priorities. Those ...
Every Iowan, every human, needs water to survive. Whether to drink, to grow plants, to fish, swim, kayak, and paddle, or to uplift amazing local breweries, wineries, and cideries, the water we access simply must be healthy and plentiful for us to have a future. Right now, Iowans across the ...
Does this sound familiar? It may not sound familiar if you don’t live near Indian Country. I live in Tama County, Iowa. Tama County is home to the only federally recognized tribe in Iowa. I have heard this statement or something like it many times since I have lived in Tama County. What ...
I hurt my knee taking a step onto a riser in a performance at my kids’ elementary school the other day. I’m not sure yet how serious the injury is, but it’s the kind of incident that makes you feel about 100 years old and like a complete moron. I mean, who gets hurt taking the stairs? ...
Historically, Congress would pass a Farm Bill every 5 years with bipartisan support. Unfortunately, we are now nearing a decade since the last Farm Bill and Iowa farmers need Congress to act now more than ever. The Farm Bill strengthens American agriculture, protects our farmers, and supports ...