Political action committees sponsored by farm organizations, agribusiness firms and electric cooperatives have given nearly $27 million altogether to congressional campaigns in the 2024 election cycle.
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson, R-Pa., topped the list with about $158,000 in donations, while Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., in line to be the lead Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee in the next session of Congress, led all Senate candidates with $101,000.
Some 66% of the $26.7 million in contributions from 262 ag and food-related PAC contributions has gone to Republicans, according to the latest data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics and analyzed by Agri-Pulse. The total includes nearly $1.8 million in contributions from the PAC operated by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
Campaign finance data is released quarterly, and the Federal Election Commission released the latest data Sept. 22. In the 2022 general election cycle, the agribusiness sector invested over $27.4 million in federal campaigns, compared to $28.8 million in 2020.
So far, the top recipients of the ag and rural PAC funding among House members include House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson, R-Pa., with $158,106, followed by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. and Republican Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota, and two GOP members of the House Ways and Means Committee, Adrian Smith of Nebraska and Michelle Fischbach of Minnesota. Ways and Means oversees tax and trade policy.
Top recipients among House Democrats, all of whom are members of the House Agriculture Committee, include Rep. Jim Costa of California, Rep. Sanford Bishop of Georgia, Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota, and Georgia's David Scott, the committee's ranking member.
The stakes for agriculture and rural business interests are especially high on Nov. 5, given it's a presidential election year, a new farm bill is under development, there is uncertainty about U.S. trade policy, and key provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expire at the end of 2025.
While Republicans traditionally receive the majority of agriculture PAC contributions, Klobuchar has so far picked up $101,000, much more than any of her GOP colleagues. She is heavily favored to win re-election Nov. 5 over Republican challenger Royce White.
Among Republicans, Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer has received the most at $70,500. Fischer is in a surprisingly difficult re-election race with independent Dan Osborn.
The second leading recipient among Democratic Senate candidates is Delaware Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, who is running to succeed the retiring Democratic Sen. Tom Carper. Rochester, a former House Ag Committee member, has received $57,500.
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Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, who's struggling to win re-election against Republican Tim Sheehy, has received $50,500, ranking third in Senate contributions, as he seeks support against well-funded Republican opponent Tim Sheehy in the November election.
Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin has received $42,500 from ag PACs in her race against Republican Eric Hovde.
Among agribusiness and food-related PACs and the NRECA, the leading contributor by far is American Crystal Sugar, a sugar beet cooperative in Moorhead, Minn., traditionally a top donor to congressional campaigns. So far this cycle, the co-op's PAC has contributed $2.4 million.
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association is a distant third behind American Crystal Sugar and NRECA with $856,000 in contributions.
Kelly Cushman, vice president of political programs for NRECA, notes that the end of the year is often a heavy time for PAC spending. “In the last quarter, a lot of contributions came in from the members of the PAC. You will sometimes see the last bit of money be contributed and go out the door to elected officials.”
The NRECA PAC, known as the America’s Electric Cooperatives PAC, has contributed to 326 campaigns in the House this year, along with 28 in the Senate.
“We are focused on engaging and telling our story while supporting candidates who support smart energy policy," said Cushman.
The sugar industry plays a dominant role among the top 20 agricultural PACs, featuring five PACs from sugar beet farmers in the Upper Midwest, and southern sugar cane growers.
Representatives of agribusiness PACs attend congressional fundraisers and often host events with other organizations in the sector.
The National Cotton Council's PAC literature explains that while contributions from its PAC don't guarantee an automatic vote for cotton on every issue, they do ensure that the industry has an opportunity to present its case, which can be crucial during close votes.
Most agriculture PACs demonstrate bipartisan giving, said Robbie Minnich, vice president of Washington operations for the Cotton Council, which sponsors the Committee for the Advancement of Cotton. “If you support agriculture, then we're happy to support you,” he said.
The cotton PAC has contributed to 135 incumbents, with the amounts ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. “We're able to go beyond supporting just the states that have cotton or districts with a cotton presence and help other members who are in urban areas or regions of the country where there is zero cotton grown,” Minnich said.
The number of candidates supported by the top 20 ag PACs varies widely. For example, the National Turkey Federation has given to 50 candidates, compared to NRECA's 326 candidates.
Members of the House Agriculture Committee are among the top recipients of funding from all PACs in the survey, including those associated with agribusiness.
Craig, whose re-election race is closely contested, ranks eighth in total PAC contributions among all business sectors, receiving almost $7.5 million. GOP Rep. Zach Nunn, who is struggling to win re-election in Iowa against Democratic challenger Lanon Baccam, who raised more than $5 million, ranked 15th in the latest data. Iowa Republican Randy Feenstra received over $4 million, ranking 17th. Feenstra also is a member of the Ways and Means Committee.
Very few agribusiness PACs contribute directly to presidential campaigns; however, their dollars, outside of federal campaign contributions, often flow to other leadership funds, ultimately finding their way to the campaigns of former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Some agribusiness companies, including Mountaire Corp, a chicken processor, and RAI Services Co, a tobacco manufacturer, have directed contributions through ideological groups, congressional leadership PACs and party committees that support candidates.
Mountaire and RAI Services have each donated over $12 million to such super PACs.
Mountaire, for example, has contributed $3.5 million to Americans for Prosperity Action, a group affiliated with Charles and the late David Koch; $2 million each to the House GOP Congressional Leadership Fund and GOP Senate Leadership Fund, and $1 million to Make America Great Again Inc., a super PAC backing Trump.
Corporations are not allowed to give directly to candidates but can donate to outside groups.
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