A recent poll commissioned by Amato Advisors and conducted by Farm Journal finds that many American farmers are in deep economic strain and trust neither political party to help them. The Farmer & Rancher Policy Sentiment Survey, fielded in April 2026, surveyed 974 farmers and ranchers across 44 states.
Key findings include:
- Input costs are crushing farmers. Of those surveyed, 78% name machinery and input costs (fertilizer, fuel, seed and chemicals) among the top three challenges facing their operation.
- The Iran War is hitting farms. Nearly all (94%) of farmers surveyed said the war with Iran is impacting their business by raising fertilizer costs, energy costs or both.
- A quarter of farmers (25%) flagged trade policy and tariffs as one of their top three challenges, making it the third-highest concern after input costs and commodity price volatility.
- Fifty-five percent of farmers said federal policies have had a negative effect on their farming operation over the past year. Just 19% say federal policy has helped.
- Twenty-six percent said the economic situation would make them less likely to be able to pass on their farm to the next generation.
- About one in four farmers (24%) ranked the current administration as the single most responsible for the challenges facing agriculture.
- Seventy-three percent of farmers say their elected officials understand the realities farmers face “not very well” or “not at all.”
- On every economic issue tested, between one in five and one in three farmers say they trust neither political party to deliver for them.
- Thirty-nine percent of farmers are considering voting for a different party, considering an independent or third-party candidate, considering not voting, or are unsure how they will vote. This includes 35% of farmers who “usually vote” Republican and 15% who say they “always vote” Republican.
- Fifty-four percent of farmers say they are more motivated to vote in the upcoming election than in the last cycle. Only 5% say they are less motivated.
- Six in 10 farmers surveyed say they “always” (30%) or “usually” (29%) vote Republican. Just 6% say they typically vote for a Democratic candidate.
“This is one of the most striking pieces of public opinion data to come out of farm country in years,” said Michael Amato, principal of Amato Advisors.“Six in ten of the polled farmers vote Republican, and they are telling us in their own words that input costs are crushing them, tariffs and the Iran War are hurting their long-term ability to compete, and they don’t believe the people they sent to Washington understand what life on a farm looks like right now. That is a signal worth paying attention to and it should land with lawmakers in both parties, particularly as we approach the midterm elections.”
See a summary memo or full report of the survey.
Source: Amato Advisors
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