President Donald Trump used a Sioux City rally with Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson to promote farm relief and address fuel costs as the Iowa race remains close.
Trump appeared with Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is challenging Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek for a Senate seat. The Associated Press framed the appearance as part of an effort to energize Iowa Republican voters. CBS News and the AP reported that Trump told the crowd, “I know you’re not all farmers, but I love farmers.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Oct. 19 that it would make $8 billion available for one-time payments to farmers during harvest season. The farm-aid program is intended to offset part of modeled losses for the 2026 crop year. USDA says its calculations will use planted acreage, production costs, yields and prices. The department expects to publish commodity payment rates in November; it has not set an application period.
Diesel prices remain a cost backdrop. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported an average retail price of $6.276 per gallon for on-highway diesel during the week of Oct. 19, up $0.097 from the previous week. The Midwest average was $6.352 per gallon.
The U.S. Department of Energy said Oct. 22 it plans to provide up to $150 million under the Defense Production Act for petroleum production, storage and logistics at U.S. refineries. The department expects the funding to add millions of gallons per day in refining output but gave no timetable. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said it will not impose federal penalties for highway use of dyed diesel from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, 2026. Guidance on possible deferral of related federal tax payments is pending, and state fuel taxes are unaffected.
The two recent Senate polls point to a close contest but differ on who leads. Marist’s Oct. 8-11 survey put Turek ahead 48% to 45% among likely voters, with a 6.6-point margin of error. A co/efficient survey of 863 likely voters, conducted Oct. 15-19, gave Hinson a 48%-45% lead and reported a 3.32-point margin of error. Both leads fall within the respective polls’ margins.
Iowa’s general election is scheduled for Nov. 3, and USDA expects to release the program’s commodity payment rates in November.
