Sarah Smith
A Champion for Land Stewardship
As we head into autumn, it is important to remember the significance of the season to the Iowan farming industry.
Over the past several years I have heard from farmers that a voice at the state is needed to advocate for land stewardship practices. This encompasses a broad spectrum of issues, but the biggest include land conservation, implementing green energy, and restricting the use of eminent domain from private interest groups.
Rural Iowans should be supported in their land conservation, preservation, and restoration efforts. There are many opportunities to reestablish native ecosystems and prairie lands in this beautiful state, but due to external financial pressures, insufficient information, and limited support structures in place, this option is unthinkable for most Iowans seeking to change their land development footprint. We must work together to support our farming industry as well as efforts to revive our state’s natural environment.
Lastly, and maybe most importantly, the state is threatened by the improper use of eminent domain to aid private industry like the proposed carbon pipelines through the state. Using eminent domain for such a purpose is a clear mistake on the part of the Iowan government. The practice itself should only be used in the direst of circumstances to support public projects that will bring good to the communities they will be disrupting.
I will be a champion of rural development and land stewardship during my time in office.