US farmers' costs test Republican midterm support

Rising diesel and fertilizer costs are testing Republican support among some US farmers ahead of November's midterm elections, with Ohio soybean farmer David Schacht saying the pressure has made voters tense even though he expects many to keep backing the party.

Schacht, 69, said he still supports President Donald Trump's Republican Party but questioned the economic strain as he begins the fall harvest. Diesel needed to run combines has risen more than 67 percent since February, while Schacht said some fertilizers for the next planting season have doubled in price. Commodity prices have risen about 20 percent this year, less than the fuel and fertilizer increases.

Ohio, where Schacht and his wife Lisa farm, is a battleground for Senate and House races despite Trump's double-digit win in the state in 2024. Farmers are an important Republican constituency: Trump won 78 percent of the vote in farming-dependent counties in 2024.

The cost pressure comes amid the Middle East war and Tehran's blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy and fertilizer transit. Farmers are also dealing with low crop prices, earlier losses from Trump's trade war with China, and concerns about potash supplies from Canada as Washington's trade conflict with Ottawa adds uncertainty.

Joe Logan, interim president of the Ohio Farmers Union, said many farmers are deeply worried about fuel costs and may be less enthusiastic about Trump and Republicans. He said he did not expect a surge of farmers voting Democratic, but said some could stay home.