Minnesota is one of the top agriculture states in the nation. According to 2025 data from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, the North Star State is fourth among all states for total crop cash receipts and eighth among all states in livestock cash receipts.
In total, Minnesota produces more than $20 billion of agricultural products annually, and the agriculture industry is a major part of the state’s economy. As a result, the industry is a big deal in Minnesota, and its interests are represented by the Minnesota Farm Bureau (MFB).
Representing tens of thousands of Minnesota farmers, MFB lobbies, educates, and advocates on behalf of farmers. When campaign season arrives, the group’s political action committees, MFBF PAC and MFB PAC, make candidate endorsements at the state and federal levels.
Last week, MFB unveiled its PAC’s lists of endorsements for the 2026 elections. Naturally, that endorsement list, which included endorsements for state legislature and Congress, is an indicator of where the farm vote may go in November.
In Minnesota, rural farmland is overwhelming represented by Republicans, and the majority of those endorsed by the MFB’s political action committees are Republicans. However, the list contains several notable DFL endorsements and some big changes from 2024.
In this year’s high-stakes race for U.S. Senate, Republican Michele Tafoya won MFBF PAC’s endorsement over DFL Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan. Earlier this month, both Tafoya and Flanagan were at Minnesota Farmfest to court farmers and other rural voters.
Given the significance of the agriculture industry in Minnesota, the Farm Bureau endorsement is sure to be a big boost for Tafoya’s campaign. Just two years ago, MFBF PAC endorsed DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar in her successful bid for U.S. Senate.
“Our agriculture community deserves a senator who will listen to them, stand up for them, and get government out of their way,” Tafoya said in a statement about the endorsement. “I’ll be a partner to Minnesota farmers in Washington — not another obstacle.”
Minnesota’s importance to the national agricultural industry is recognized in Congress with Klobuchar serving as the ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and DFL Rep. Angie Craig serving as the ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee.
Craig has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2019, representing Minnesota’s Second Congressional District. Craig opted not to seek reelection this year and instead ran for U.S. Senate. She lost the DFL primary for Senate earlier this year to Flanagan.
Running to replace Craig are Republican state Sen. Eric Pratt and former DFL state Sen. Matt Little. While MFBF PAC opted to endorse Craig, a Democrat, in 2024, the group has switched parties this year and endorsed Pratt in his bid for the Second District.
“I’m incredibly grateful to the Minnesota Farm Bureau PAC and its members for their confidence in me,” Pratt said in a press release. “Agriculture is not just an industry in Minnesota. It supports families, small businesses, communities, and an entire way of life.”
The Second District includes much of the Twin Cities’ south metro area and stretches into rural farmland. According to the most recent Census of Agriculture from 2022, the district has over 3,000 farms and produces $882 million of agriculture products.
As a result, the Farm Bureau endorsement will undoubtedly be a buoy to Pratt.
Meanwhile, MFBF PAC endorsed Republican incumbent Congressman Brad Finstad over DFLer Jake Johnson in the race for Minnesota’s First Congressional District. Recently, national Democrats have targeted the First District as a potential pickup opportunity.
Finstad, himself a fourth generation farmer, has represented the rural Minnesota district since 2023 and serves on the House Agriculture Committee. Finstad was endorsed by MFBF PAC in his most recent reelection win in 2024.
The First District is geographically large and covers much of southern Minnesota. It stretches along the Iowa border and encompasses Rochester and Mankato. Farming is a major part of the district, with billions of dollars of agriculture products being produced there every year.
According to the most recent Census of Agriculture from 2022, the district has over 17,000 farms. As such, the Farm Bureau endorsement is sure to carry significant weight in the race between Finstad and Johnson.
In races for the Minnesota Legislature, MFB’s state-level campaign arm, MFB PAC, issued endorsements mostly for Republican candidates.
However, DFL state Sen. Grant Hauschild, who represents a large rural district in northern Minnesota, was endorsed by MFB PAC. Hauschild is facing what will likely be a close race for his Senate seat, which could determine the Minnesota Senate majority.
Similarly, DFL state Sens. Rob Kupec and Aric Putnam were also endorsed by MFB PAC. Kupec represents Moorhead and its surrounding communities while Putnam represents St. Cloud. Both are likely facing close races for their seats.
Alpha News contacted the Minnesota Farm Bureau to ask about a forthcoming endorsement in the Minnesota gubernatorial race between Klobuchar and Republican state House Speaker Lisa Demuth.
A spokesperson for MFB said “MFBF PAC has no endorsement in the governor’s race.”
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
