The battle for Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District puts agricultural policy front and center as incumbent Republican Rep. Zach Nunn squares off against Democratic state Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott in a race that could help determine the direction of farm programs, trade relationships and rural development funding.
Across the district, more than 26,000 farmers grow 1.52 million acres of corn and 1.46 million acres of soybeans, according to USDA’s 2022 Census of Agriculture. Those operations generated $4.43 billion in total ag sales in 2022, making federal farm policies an ongoing concern for producers across southwestern Iowa.
Stretching from the Des Moines metro to the Missouri border, the district combines Polk County’s urban center and Dallas County’s growing suburbs with extensive farming communities where decisions in Washington directly affect bottom lines.
Nunn Touts Committee Assignments, Rural Health Work
Nunn, a sixth-generation Iowan and former Air Force officer, has represented the district since 2023. His seat on the House Agriculture Committee — specifically the General Farm Commodities, Risk Management and Credit Subcommittee and the Commodity Markets, Digital Assets and Rural Development Subcommittee — gives him a direct voice in farm bill negotiations, crop insurance policy and agricultural credit programs, as well as rural health care measures.
Committee assignments also place him in discussions over commodity markets, risk management tools and the financial pressures squeezing farm operations as input costs remain elevated and commodity prices struggle to keep pace.
Nunn outlined 21 priorities in the 2026 House-passed Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026. The measures address the needs of beginning farmers, rural infrastructure, disaster recovery, agricultural cybersecurity and animal welfare. He has also pushed the EPA to safeguard Iowa’s biofuel demand and urged stable market policies for cattle producers.
Before Congress, Nunn served in the Iowa House and Senate, where he supported tax cuts he says strengthened the state’s economy. He also serves on the House Financial Services Committee and the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, positions relevant to agricultural trade and financial regulation.
Trone Garriott Focuses on Input Costs, Trade Stability
Trone Garriott brings a different resume to the race. A minister, former hospital chaplain and nonprofit leader, she spent nine years with Iowa’s largest food pantry network, coordinating efforts that fed approximately 32,000 Iowans monthly.
“I know what it costs to grow food, and I know what happens to a family when they can’t afford it,” she says, framing agricultural policy as a bridge between farm profitability and food affordability.
Elected to the Iowa Senate in 2020, she won a Republican-held seat and later defeated then-Senate President Jake Chapman by three points in 2022 — even as Gov. Kim Reynolds carried the district by seven. In 2024, she successfully defended her seat in a district won by President Trump, a record her campaign cites as evidence of crossover appeal.
Her legislative work has included the Natural Resources and Environment Committee and Commerce Committee, giving her experience with environmental policy and business conditions that affect Iowa agriculture.
Now challenging Nunn, Trone Garriott has made farm input costs a centerpiece of her agricultural platform. She notes that production costs have climbed more than one-third since 2021 and that many Iowa farmers have lost money on corn and soybeans for three consecutive years.
Trade Policy Emerges as Key Flashpoint
Trone Garriott places considerable blame on tariffs, which she says drive up fertilizer and equipment costs while threatening export markets. She’s criticized Nunn for supporting tariffs, claiming he voted for them eight times, and argues trade uncertainty makes long-term farm planning nearly impossible.
“I’m not going to tell anybody how to farm,” she says. “I’m going to show up, listen, and work hard so the people who feed this country can make a good living doing it.”
She says she’s held town halls in all 21 counties in the district, where input costs repeatedly topped farmers’ concerns. Her proposed solution: end tariffs, stabilize trade relationships and shift federal ag policy away from emergency payments after losses occur toward more predictable support that helps farmers plan for the future.
Farm Bill, Biofuels and Conservation in Play
Trone Garriott wants a comprehensive farm bill passed quickly, arguing the Sept. 30 extension deadline has left producers in limbo. She supports strong crop insurance, conservation incentives and adequate USDA staffing.
On biofuels, she backs year-round E15 sales, biodiesel expansion and the 45Z clean fuel production tax credit. She opposes refinery exemptions that reduce demand for ethanol and biodiesel — positions that matter in a state where corn and soybean markets depend partly on biofuel processing.
Foreign ownership of farmland is another priority. She wants Iowa land accessible to Iowa families, not foreign governments or companies, arguing the next generation of farmers deserves a fair shot at buying ground when it comes available.
Experience vs. Fresh Approach
The Iowa district 3 race offers voters a choice between congressional experience and a fresh voice emphasizing cost relief.
Nunn brings committee assignments that position him in farm bill negotiations, commodity program decisions and rural health funding fights. His military background and state legislative record add experience in government operations and policy development.
Trone Garriott brings Iowa Senate experience, food assistance work and a focus on bipartisan problem-solving. She’s supported income tax cuts and property tax relief for seniors and veterans in the state legislature and opposed eminent domain for private profit.
“Most farm issues aren’t partisan,” she says, noting that lawmakers should work across party lines to secure a farm bill, reliable markets and fair prices.
