DES MOINES, IOWA (September 29, 2026) — Iowa’s out-going Governor Kim Reynolds announced a special legislative session to pass tax incentives for a new Trump-backed Mesabi Metalics steel mill in Lee County. Trump announced the mill yesterday; the special session will convene on Friday.
Meanwhile, while Iowa struggles through industrial agriculture-linked cancer and water pollution crises, the legislature failed to permanently fund statewide water quality monitoring through the University of Iowa’s Water Quality Information System. This monitoring would cost $600K per year; tax incentives for the Mesabi Metalics steel mill would cost $750 million.
In response, Food and Water Action Senior Iowa Organizer Jennifer Breon issued the following statement:
“It appears that Reynolds and Republican leadership are more interested in bailing out Trump’s failing midterm strategy than delivering for the people of Iowa. This is a desperate attempt to boost the campaigns of Representatives [Mariannette] Miller-Meeks, [Zach] Nunn, and [Ashley] Hinson while doing nothing to address the major crises facing Iowans.
“Let’s be clear: Iowa is in an industrial agriculture pollution-driven cancer crisis, and our legislature has failed to do anything about it. That Iowa Republicans could not find a few bucks for basic water monitoring this session but can find millions for a corporate steel mill speaks volumes.
“Iowans of all stripes are tired of seeing our water get dirtier and our cancer rates grow higher, while our elected officials throw our taxpayer money at huge corporations. Iowa is ready to elect clean-water champions — and we are ready to make that happen.”
Recent polling commissioned by Food and Water Action found that 82% of Iowa voters would be more likely to vote for an elected official who makes it a top priority to protect clean water, including by cutting industrial agriculture pollution. Iowa has the nation’s highest waterway cancer-linked nitrate contamination and fastest-rising cancer rate, as well as more factory farms and pesticide use than any other state.
Food and Water Action has endorsed a slate of 27 clean water candidates and is canvassing in support of these candidates in the Des Moines, Iowa City, and Davenport metro areas, with the goal of knocking on over 50,000 doors, talking to 8,000 voters, and distributing 1,000 lawn signs reading simply “Fix the Damn Water.”
