By Rachel Cramer
Gov. Kim Reynolds signed an appropriations bill (HF 2771) into law Monday, funneling $166.7 million to agriculture and natural resources for the 2027 fiscal year, which runs from July 1 to June 30, 2027.
The legislation includes the "Farm to Faucet" package that Reynolds and Republican legislative leaders introduced in May. It’s expected to drive nearly $320 million over the next 12 years for water quality monitoring, infrastructure upgrades and conservation practices to reduce nutrient runoff in targeted watersheds.
The funding largely comes from redirecting revenue from the state’s water excise tax and Iowa's Water Quality Financing Program, which Reynolds said received few applications.
“It follows through on a promise we made to the people of Iowa earlier this year, shifting water quality resources to the most effective programs and urgent needs,” Reynolds said Monday.
Water monitoring funding
The state will send an additional $500,000 in annual funding to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ water quality monitoring network. This brings total state funding for water monitoring up to $3.5 million, according to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS).
The legislation does not include direct funding for a network of river sensors operated by the University of Iowa, which is largely relying on county- and city-level funding for the next year.
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