US farm income to fall 2.6% in 2026 as farmers sour on Republicans before midterms

The significance here is the collision of farm economics and electoral math: a real income squeeze, amplified by energy and fertilizer costs tied to the Iran operation and by tariffs on exports, is landing in states Republicans have long counted as safe. That makes agricultural policy a live midterm variable rather than a backdrop. What's worth watching is whether the income decline and input-cost pressure keep translating into measurable erosion of farm-state support, and whether trade or input-cost relief emerges as a response before November 3.