The state’s District 1 race offers a choice between an incumbent focused on crop insurance and markets, and a challenger calling for tariff relief and corporate accountability.

For southern Minnesota farmers navigating tight margins, high input costs and uncertain commodity markets, the race for the state’s 1st Congressional District offers two different perspectives on how Washington should help rural America.

Republican Brad Finstad, a fourth-generation farmer, is seeking reelection after first winning the seat in a 2022 special election held following the death of then-Rep. Jim Hagedorn, who had battled kidney cancer.

Democrat Jake Johnson, a Rochester, Minn., high school math teacher, is challenging Finstad with a campaign focused on affordability, government accountability and economic opportunity for working families, including farmers.

Both candidates say rural communities need a stronger economic foundation. But they differ in how that can be achieved, particularly with regard to a farm safety net, input costs, corporate influence and the role of government in supporting rural economies.

Finstad points to his work on the House Agriculture Committee and recent farm legislation as evidence that he is delivering for farmers. Johnson says Washington needs a broad change in priorities to address the financial pressures facing farm families and rural communities.

Farm Policy: Strengthening the Safety Net and Expanding Markets

Finstad puts farm policy at the center of his reelection message, emphasizing crop insurance, farm credit, biofuels and expanded markets for U.S. agricultural products.

He points to legislation signed into law last July that he says strengthened the farm safety net, increased conservation funding, expanded trade promotion programs and improved crop insurance access for beginning farmers. He also cites tax provisions that he says will benefit farm families.

As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, Finstad says he helped advance the 2026 Farm Bill through the House.
Among the provisions he championed are updated Farm Service Agency loan limits, streamlined loan approvals for beginning farmers, expanded support for precision agriculture and measures addressing California’s Proposition 12 livestock production requirements.

He contends farmers need reliable risk management and stronger markets to remain profitable without depending on emergency government payments.

“Farmers want markets, not mailboxes,” Finstad says.

He wants to make higher levels of crop insurance coverage more affordable through his proposed FARMER Act, which he says was included in the Working Families Tax Cuts. He also supports year-round, nationwide E15 and other biofuels to expand domestic demand for agricultural commodities, along with trade agreements that open export markets.

Johnson also supports passing a bipartisan Farm Bill, but his broader message centers on making government work better for farmers, rural communities and working families.

He says farmers should have the right to repair their own equipment and supports investments in agricultural innovation that create jobs in Minnesota. He also wants to extend health insurance tax credits and invest in rural infrastructure, clean water and medical research.

Input Costs: Domestic Production vs. Corporate Accountability

Fertilizer, fuel and other production expenses are another major point of emphasis for Finstad.

He notes the United States needs to reduce its dependence on foreign suppliers for critical agricultural inputs, including fertilizer and diesel fuel. Greater domestic production, he says, would strengthen agricultural supply chains and reduce the risk of foreign countries disrupting supplies.

Finstad helped introduce the Fertilizer Transparency Act, which he says would give farmers clearer, more reliable information about fertilizer costs. He also wants to encourage domestic production of fertilizer and fuel.

Johnson approaches cost issues for farmers and rural Minnesotans more broadly. He says ongoing tariffs, the war with Iran and concentrated corporate power are contributing to higher costs for rural families and businesses, including farmers.

Johnson also says he would challenge corporate monopolies and health insurance companies that he believes are increasing costs and limiting economic opportunity. He supports tax cuts for working families and small businesses, paid for through higher taxes on large corporations and wealthy households and by closing tax loopholes.

Rural Investment: Agricultural Innovation and Community Priorities

The candidates also differ in how they describe the investments southern Minnesota communities and farmers need to thrive.

Finstad highlights continued advances in science and technology that will allow farmers to produce more while using resources more efficiently. He points to his own family’s experience to illustrate agriculture’s evolution, recalling that his father once joked he would retire when tractors could drive themselves. Today, Finstad says, his children can plant fields using an iPad. He also supports restricting Chinese purchases of American farmland, arguing that food security is a matter of national security.

Johnson puts emphasis on public services and local economic development. He supports investments in clean water, special education, medical research and agricultural innovation that creates jobs in Minnesota. He also says the government should protect Social Security, Medicare and veterans’ benefits and reverse recent cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Data Centers: Local Development or a Moratorium?

The candidates have different views on the building of data centers.

Finstad supports data center development when local communities determine projects are in their best interests, arguing that such facilities can create jobs, generate tax revenue and strengthen U.S. competitiveness.

Johnson, by contrast, supports a moratorium on new data centers until developers guarantee protections for farmland, natural resources, utility customers and local communities.

Representation and Accountability: Experience vs. Reform

Beyond farm policy, the candidates offer different views about how they would represent Minnesota’s district 1.

Finstad emphasizes his agricultural experience and legislative record, saying he has worked with Republicans and Democrats to advance farm credit, crop insurance, career and technical education, precision agriculture and year-round E15.

A two-time recipient of Minnesota’s highest recognition for math education, Johnson says he “grew up poor” in Stewartville, Minn., and reached the middle class through hard work and the support of others. He and his wife, a paraprofessional, are raising four sons on their respective salaries. He says those experiences have shaped his focus on the rising cost of housing, groceries, utilities and health care for farmers and others.

Johnson says he has held 21 in-person town halls, one in every county in the district, and pledges to hold another round in each county if elected. He also promises to make constituent services a priority.

On government reform, he supports a balanced-budget amendment, congressional term limits and a ban on members of Congress trading individual stocks or becoming lobbyists. He also wants stronger action against fraud and corruption, including in Minnesota. Johnson says he does not accept corporate PAC money, contending that this decision will help him challenge powerful corporate business interests.

Source - https://www.agweb.com