Iowa’s farm boom, and the agricultural economy as a whole, may play a significant role in the upcoming presidential election, some experts believe.

Iowa’s economy is among the strongest in the country, in part thanks to the nationwide agricultural boom. Crop prices are breaking record highs, land values are increasing, and farm incomes are higher than they have been in generations. Iowa’s overall unemployment rate is one of the lowest in the nation, coming in at 5.1 percent.

While Iowa is a relatively small state, it holds significant political clout. Iowa’s six electoral votes are up for grabs, recent polling suggests, and both President Obama and his Republican challenger Governor Mitt Romney have already spent considerable amounts of money in the state.

In addition, both candidates have a long history in Iowa. In 2008, Obama’s victory in the Iowa caucus cemented his status as the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination. That same year, Romney’s defeat stalled his presidential campaign, eventually leading him to drop out of the race.

Iowa’s robust economy could determine the outcome of the election, and the economic choices that the nation will make, and convincing Iowa voters that they are responsible for the economic conditions in the state is important for both campaigns. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has already spent a great deal of time in Iowa, as well as other agricultural swing states, hyping President Obama’s economic and agricultural policies.

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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer