The Ombudsman has jurisdiction to investigate complaints about the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (DALS).
Before you make a complaint to us, we want to make sure the person you are complaining about has had an opportunity to review and resolve your complaint. For this reason, we ask that you first try to address your complaint with the Department employee and supervisory staff before contacting our office.
Filing a complaint with the DALS
You can find detailed information on the broad array of topics that DALS oversees at:
If your concern or complaint is not addressed on the local level with an employee or direct supervisor, you should reach out to the Bureau chief or division direct overseeing that area. Contact information can be found at:
Already completed this process?
If you have already gone through this process and want to file a complaint with our office, click here:
Tips for Making a Complaint
► Ask if you can speak with a supervisor or manager about your issue.
► Clearly explain what your issue is and what you’d like the outcome to be.
► Write down the names of the people you speak with, when you spoke with them and what they said.
► Make the conversation about what you need, be persistent but remain calm and polite.
► If you are still unsatisfied, ask what appeal and review processes are available and pay close attention to their criteria and deadlines.
Not Sure? Contact Us!
Please contact us directly if you don’t think it would be appropriate for us to require you to go through an available complaint or review process before we consider your complaint. We can consider your specific circumstances before we decide – including the urgency of your complaint or any disabilities or barriers you may be experiencing.
