By: Torrey Advisory Group Policy Team

The 2026 midterm elections will bring significant changes to Congress, state governments and the federal policy landscape. But a new Congress means more than new names and new majorities. It changes the path for policy.

Torrey Advisory Group’s 2026 Election Report goes beyond the election results to examine what the new political landscape means for agriculture, food, trade, federal appropriations and other major policy priorities heading into the 120th Congress.

Key Takeaways

• Agriculture policy faces significant turnover. At least 30 percent of the Senate Agriculture Committee and 23 percent of the House Agriculture Committee will be new in the 120th Congress, creating new relationships and dynamics around the farm bill, crop insurance, nutrition, conservation and rural development.
• Committee leadership is also in flux. With Democrats taking control of Congress, new gavels, leadership contests and committee assignments will help determine the direction of agriculture and other major policy debates in 2027.
• State-level changes will matter for agriculture. Democrats flipped five governorships and several previously Republican state trifectas, while Agriculture Commissioner races produced changes in Georgia and Texas.
• The current Congress still has significant work ahead. With only 18 joint legislative days scheduled before year-end, lawmakers return to Washington facing government funding, farm bill negotiations, year-round E15, permitting reform, defense authorization and surface transportation policy.

What Comes Next

Election Day settled control of Congress, but it also set in motion changes that will shape policymaking well into 2027. New committee members and leaders will inherit unresolved debates over the farm bill, federal spending, trade, tax, health care, energy and other issues, while the Senate’s composition means bipartisan coalitions will remain important for advancing most major legislation.

For organizations navigating Washington, understanding who won is only the starting point. Understanding how those results change the policymaking environment, where new relationships will be needed and where opportunities may emerge is what comes next.

Torrey Advisory Group helps organizations turn political and policy change into actionable strategy. Read our full 2026 Election Report for TAG’s analysis of the people, committees and policy debates that will shape the year ahead.

Click HERE to read Torrey Advisory Group’s full 2026 Election Report.