Iowa’s farms help feed the country — but in the run-up to next week’s midterm elections, many growers say Washington’s latest shocks are squeezing them from every direction.
“It’s really high stress,” said Matt Russell, Executive Director of the Iowa Farmers Union, which represents around 1,000 members.
Tariffs and the war in Iran have injected new uncertainty into trade and driven up expenses, sharpening anxieties just days before voters go to the polls.
“All that disruption has been incredibly difficult for farming families,” said Mr Russell.
He added: “The trade wars have reduced our prices.
“So, in Iowa, we’re corn, soybeans, beef … On top of that, you have fertiliser, you have chemicals, you have diesel fuel.
“All of those inputs have really ratcheted up, and then interest rates are also a big part of this.”
Matt Russell is Executive Director of the Iowa Farmers Union
The strain on farm country is now spilling into politics, with implications that reach well beyond rural counties and crop prices.
It has been more than a decade since Iowa elected a Democratic governor or senator.
However, that streak could be in jeopardy on Tuesday, according to Democratic strategist Derek Eadon.
Mr Eadon said: “What we’re seeing in the midterm elections in Iowa is a full backlash to the policies of Donald Trump.
“So, the fact that Republicans are having to spend in states like Iowa, Texas, Mississippi, Alaska, that means that there is momentum on the Democratic side.
“The candidates that are very loyal to Donald Trump are just not doing very well.”
Rob Sand’s campaign is a test of whether appealing to the middle ground can win over voters
Democratic candidate for governor Rob Sand is leaning into that moment by pitching himself as a bridge-builder, and recent polling puts him ahead of his Republican opponent Zach Lahn.
His campaign has become a proving ground for whether a centrist message can break through in a reliably Republican state — and a potential roadmap for Democrats looking ahead to the 2028 presidential election.
“I’ve been happy to piss off powerful people in both political parties. As your state auditor, I just want to keep doing that as your governor,” he told a small campaign event in a hotel in Ottumwa last week.
Among those listening, the approach resonated.
“We’re all hoping for change here in Iowa and I think that’s what Rob represents … and it’s time,” said one woman.
Another man said he liked Mr Sand’s ideas, along with what he described as a readiness to hear people out and expand his perspective.
“So, he’s the guy,” he said.
Republican voters say they are nervous about what comes after the midterm elections
A short drive away in Pleasantville, a different kind of political unease surfaces over coffee.
In a café, I meet a group of friends after they enquire about my accent and tell me about their love of Irish singer Daniel O’Donnell.
They gather weekly to compare notes on current events — and they say the days ahead feel unsettled.
“We don’t want to have Democrats run this state,” Jerry Viers said.
“As far as I’m concerned, the Democratic Party has gone socialist,” he added.
Farmer Bob Lyon, meanwhile, said soaring fuel and fertiliser bills are making it tougher to turn a profit on staples like corn and soybeans.
“You don’t want to have to go out there and do all the work for nothing,” he said.
But asked who he holds responsible, Mr Lyon pointed to timing and politics.
“Well, I think when the election gets over, things will stablise and go back down.
“But they want to make Trump look as bad as he can right now.”
The exchange underscores a central tension in Iowa: even as the president’s approval rating has slumped amid a series of unpopular decisions, discontent has not uniformly translated into a break with the Republican Party.
For now, voters feeling the bite of rising costs remain split over what — and who — is driving the pain, and who can realistically bring relief.
Trucking company owner Tom Pol has yet to decide where his vote is going
That uncertainty extends beyond agriculture to the businesses that keep the rural economy moving.
Tom Pol, who runs the trucking company Greetings Inc in Pella, said: “I voted for Trump three times.
“I’ve been very clear about that. It’s not something I hide.
“I’m very happy with many things and I’m extremely unhappy with other things.”
He said he has not made up his mind about his next vote.
“I’m probably leaning more towards the right-hand side,” he said.
He added: “Maybe my biggest challenge is it seems like no matter who you send to Washington, we keep getting the same results.
“At the end of the day, they’re getting rich while the rest of us are out here killing ourselves trying to pay taxes, you know.
“And fuel is our biggest cost right now. That’s a big deal.”
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