A farmers’ lobbying group, AMPA, is funding US$3 million in attack ads against Republicans in key US midterm races over cost-of-living and animal-welfare issues.

The ads target the Save Our Bacon Act and Trump-backed tariffs, with the biggest spend, about US$2.5 million, aimed at Iowa Republican Ashley Hinson.

Farmers are split: some back AMPA over higher costs and welfare rules, while others support Republicans, and rural approval of Trump has fallen to 45%.

AI generated WASHINGTON – A lobbying group that says it represents farmers and meat companies is helping to fund US$3 million (S$3.8 million) in attack ads against Republicans in some of the most competitive US midterm election races, criticising the party’s candidates on cost-of-living and animal-welfare issues.

That sum is a small slice of the billions being poured into the Nov 3 midterms. But President Donald Trump’s Republican Party already faces headwinds among typically stalwart rural supporters due to concerns about tariffs and high fuel costs driven up by the war in Iran.

The ads in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Colorado and Iowa are paid for by the political action arm of the American Meat Producers Association (AMPA), an organisation founded in 2025 that represents farmers who support high animal welfare standards.

The group has just one listed employee on its website: its president Holly Bice. It does not disclose its donors or member lists.

But farmers are one source of cash for the midterm ads, according to Reuters interviews with farmers associated with the AMPA.

The ads criticise four incumbent Republicans for supporting a Bill in Congress, the Save Our Bacon Act, which would overturn California and Massachusetts laws that require higher farm animal welfare standards and which have for years divided the pork industry. The Bill has been endorsed by nearly 400 state and national farm groups.

The Bill has been endorsed by nearly 400 state and national farm groups. AMPA says it represents farmers who oppose the bill.

But the ads also attack the candidates on other topics, like their support for Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods.

One ad against US Representative Gabe Evans, a Colorado Republican, says he “voted for Trump’s tariffs and the war in Iran, sending prices skyrocketing.”Evans did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Many farm groups have remained allied with Republicans this midterm cycle.

For instance, the political action arm of the Iowa Farm Bureau, a branch of the national Farm Bureau lobby group, in September endorsed all Republican candidates for House, Senate and state secretary of agriculture.

Bice, AMPA’s president, said the organisation is running ads on issues beyond its focus of animal welfare because “farmers and ranchers don’t experience policy one Bill at a time”.

“These ads point out that certain lawmakers have voting records that have hurt farmers,” Bice said in response to e-mailed questions, declining to name the major donors to its political action committee running the ads.

Bice said AMPA and its PAC are supported by farmers, meat companies and “people who care about family farming”, but declined to provide more details.

Russ Kremer, a Missouri hog farmer who is on AMPA’s leadership council, said there are roughly 5,000 farmers involved with AMPA and that many had contributed to its PAC, but he did not provide details.

Farmers have been hard hit in 2026 by record diesel prices, higher fertiliser costs and reduced exports to China.

Trump plans to give farmers US$8 billion in diesel aid, bringing government payments to farmers to a record high of US$55.4 billion in 2026, though the funds will not arrive until after the election.

Taking aim at Iowa AMPA has spent US$2.9 million to date on digital and radio ads, according to federal election filings. Of that, about US$2.5 million has funded ads opposing US Representative Ashley Hinson, an Iowa Republican, in her Senate race, the filings show.

The ads target Hinson’s sponsorship of the Save Our Bacon Act, which Hinson has said would support Iowa’s hog farmers.

“She don’t give a damn about Iowa farmers. She will never feel the pain her votes have inflicted on people like me,” says a man in the ad.

Billy Fuerst, Hinson’s campaign communications director, said: “Iowa farmers strongly support Ashley Hinson because she delivers for agriculture.

“She has even bucked her own party to get year-round E15 passed out of the House, a critical priority for corn farmers and ethanol producers.”The Bill supported by Hinson would expand sales of E15, a higher-ethanol gasoline blend.

Dean Frazer, an Iowa hog farmer, told Reuters he supports Hinson and the Save Our Bacon Act in part because it is costly for farmers to convert their operations to comply with the higher animal welfare standards. Hinson has been endorsed by the Iowa Corn Growers Association, as well as the state Farm Bureau chapter.

Trump won Iowa by double digits in the 2024 presidential election, but polls show Democrats tied with or leading Republicans in many of the state’s midterm races.

Rural approval of Trump hit a new low in October of 45%, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling.

AMPA’s spending is not a straightforward effort to elect Democrats. The group has also backed some Republicans who share its views on animal welfare standards.

AMPA has spent US$100,000 on ads supporting Republican incumbents Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Andrew Garbarino of New York, who have opposed the Save Our Bacon Act. Both are favoured to win in the midterms, according to the latest polls.