State Representative Sandy Greiner (R), Keota, announced this week that she will seek the Senate seat currently held by H. Kay Hedge, who announced earlier this year that he would not run for reelection.

First elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 1992, Greiner is serving her fourth term. Long an advocate for Agricultural issues prior to her election to public office, she now concentrates on environmental and agricultural issues. The former chair of the House Environmental Protection Committee, Greiner currently chairs the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations committee. In addition, she serves on the Appropriations, Agriculture and Environmental Protection Committees in the Iowa House.

“I look forward to this new challenge and I’m anxious to meet the people of the 48th Senate district to learn of their concerns,” Greiner said.

“I have enjoyed helping to make history while serving in the Iowa House of Representatives,” said Greiner. “When I first took my oath in 1993, our state was more than $400 million in debt. Schools and counties did not receive their state appropriations on time. Today, the debt is paid off and a cash reserve account has been established in order to assure that the state’s obligations to these entities remains on schedule.”

Sandy Greiner and her husband, Terry, own and operate a diversified grain and livestock farm near Keota. Married 32 years this past September, the couple has three sons, Shaun, a graduate of Iowa State University currently utilizing the livestock facilities on his parent’s farm; Brant who, with his wife, owns and operates a Nutrient Management Service, and Cory, a student at Iowa State University. All three sons are involved in the family farm operation in some way, representing the fifth generation of Greiners to farm in the Keota community. Two daughters-in-law and two grandchildren complete the family.

The Greiners are involved in a variety of agriculturally related organizations and are members of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Keota, where Sandy serves as lector and communion distributor. She has taught pre-school, grade school and high school religious education.

A native of Washington, Greiner attended Washington public schools and Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. She is a member of the Animal Industry Task Force, a group coordinated by the American Feed Industry Association. She has spoken nationally and internationally to farmers, ranchers, industry groups and consumers about the negative impact of animal rights activists on American livestock production.

She is a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and serves as the state chair of ALEC’s Iowa members. She serves on the executive committee of ALEC’s Environment, Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Task Force. In August, 1998, Greiner was recognized by ALEC as Legislator of the Year, the first Iowa recipient of the award in the 25-year history of the organization.

In February, 1998, Greiner was selected by Iowa State University to sit on the Advisory Board of the Iowa Pork Industry Center in Ames.

In 1995 she received the Iowa Governor’s Volunteer Award for 25 years of agricultural volunteerism prior to her election.

Greiner is a graduate of Iowa’s Leadership Development Institute, sponsored by the small private colleges of Iowa.

She is a long-time member and past-president of American Agri-Women (AAW), the largest independent farm women’s organization in the U.S. Prior to assuming the presidency of AAW in 1989, she held numerous leadership positions within the organization including VP-Communications and first vice president. She was awarded the AAW Leaven Award in November, 1990, the highest recognition AAW gives its members.

After several years of leadership positions in local and state Pork Producers Organizations, in 1978 Greiner became the Farm News Director for KCII am/fm radio in Washington; the first female to head a farm broadcast news department in the United States. She held the position through the mid ‘80s.

Greiner was present at the Farm Women’s Summit meeting in October, 1988, at Winrock International on Petit Jean Mountain in Arkansas. It was at this meeting that the Agriculture Women’s Leadership Network was formed. Greiner is a charter member of this network.

Greiner’s announcement ends speculation about her plans and opens the door for new blood in the Iowa House.