Josh Turek pushes right-to-repair and tariff relief for Iowa

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Josh Turek is campaigning on federal right-to-repair legislation and an end to Trump-era tariffs, arguing both are essential to keep Iowa family farms viable. He outlined that platform at an Ankeny farm and was photographed addressing supporters at the Iowa Democrats' Liberty and Justice fundraiser.

Josh Turek, a state representative from Council Bluffs, is running for Iowa's open U.S. Senate seat. His agriculture pitch centers on giving farmers control over the technology locked inside modern equipment—and on reversing trade policies he says are squeezing rural communities.

Key Takeaways

• Turek wants a federal right-to-repair law requiring manufacturers to supply parts, tools, and diagnostic software.
• He pledged to vote on his first Senate day to end tariffs he says raise input costs and limit export markets.
• At a century farm near Ankeny, Turek called it "a dangerous time" to be an Iowa farmer.
• Reuters captured Turek speaking to supporters at the Iowa Democrats' Liberty and Justice fundraiser.
• Republican rival Ashley Hinson's campaign challenged Turek's record on Iowa farm legislation.

Why is Josh Turek pushing federal right-to-repair legislation?

During a Monday visit to an Ankeny family farm, Turek said farmers should access the parts, tools, and diagnostic software needed to fix their own equipment or use independent repair shops. Current limits that require dealership-only service cost farmers time and money when machinery breaks down, he told reporters covered by KTIV.

Hosts Craig and LaVon Griffeon, who raise crops, cattle, and poultry on a century farm, told Turek they pay hundreds of dollars just to have someone come repair equipment, according to KIWA Radio. Turek co-sponsored an Iowa right-to-repair bill that passed the House in 2026 but did not advance through the Senate.

If elected, Turek said he would sponsor a federal right-to-repair bill—a policy that sits at the crossroads of agriculture and Future Tech & AI Wonders, because modern tractors and combines depend on proprietary software and diagnostic tools.

How would ending tariffs help Iowa farmers?

Turek said higher tariffs under President Donald Trump's trade policies are raising input costs and limiting export markets for meat and produce. Retaliatory tariffs from other countries have further hurt American farmers' exports, he argued during the Ankeny farm tour.

He pledged to vote on his first day in the U.S. Senate to end the trade policy that raised tariffs on foreign products. Turek linked those pressures to what he called a second farm crisis, noting Iowa leads the nation in farm foreclosures and that farmer suicide rates are rising.

What else is in Turek's rural platform?

Beyond repair access, Turek backs mandatory country-of-origin labeling for U.S. meat and said Congress should be forced to stay in Washington until a Farm Bill passes. He also supports restoring recently expired production tax credits for wind turbines and solar installations, which he said have been a secondary income source for some farmers.

Turek said he would push to break up ag industry monopolies if elected. Without action on multiple fronts, he warned, farms will grow larger while rural Iowa continues to shrink.

Where does Turek fit into the 2026 Iowa Senate race?

Reuters Connect published a licensable photo of Turek speaking to supporters during the Iowa Democrats' Liberty and Justice fundraiser, placing him among the party's top-tier candidates in a competitive election year. On the farm tour, he said this may be the last generation with a chance to save small family farms.

Hinson's campaign communications director Billy Fuerst said Turek skipped a vote on Iowa's farm bill, backed Green New Deal mandates on farmers, and opposed a bill to stop fake meat from being labeled as real. Fuerst also cited Turek's support for California's Prop 12, arguing it would hurt Iowa family farms.