Election 2026: Ag on the Ballot
Control of Congress isn’t the only thing on the ballot this November. An even bigger question hangs in the balance: Will anyone left in Washington actually understand production agriculture?
As election day nears, Farm Journal is proud to present Ag Vote 2026: Who Speaks for America’s Farmers?, delivering in-depth reporting from now through Election Day.
Who Speaks for America's Farmers?
Livestreaming will start at 7 p.m. Central, Tuesday, Nov. 3, with an Agriculture Scoreboard tallying farm experience won and lost all night, and producers and policy experts chiming in on what each result means for your operation.
Races to Watch: Farm Experience Is On the Line
Select a state or filter by chamber to see each candidate's agriculture background.
How we classify races: "ag background" reflects a candidate's own farming, ranching or farm-family experience, from the 2026 Congressional Agriculture Experience Tracker. Party affiliation plays no role. Ratings and backgrounds are updated as reporting is verified.
Members of Congress Reporting Agriculture as Primary Prior Occupation
Share of each chamber, against the share of the U.S. workforce employed in agriculture. Around 1950 both chambers passed the workforce share — and have stayed above it.
*2026 uses a broader measure (any listed occupation) and is not comparable to earlier years. Congress: CRS R42365 (1945–2013, first-listed occupation) and CRS R48535 (2025–26). Workforce: USDA ERS and White House CEA; dots mark verified anchor years (1945, 1950, 1970, 2000, 2017), intermediate points interpolated.
