Farmfest showdown: Senate hopefuls square off on immigration, trade, and farming policy

At Farmfest, four U.S. Senate contenders—DFL's Angie Craig and Peggy Flanagan and GOP's Michele Tafoya and Royce White—debated farm policy, immigration, and tariffs, while Adam Schwarze was absent after not meeting polling thresholds. Craig and Flanagan urged a path to legal status for immigrant workers on farms, linking border security with a worker visa pathway. Tafoya backed temporary H-2A labor fixes and bridge aid to cushion tariff disruptions, while White pushed a hardline stance opposing citizenship for those who entered illegally and calling for mass deportations. The event highlighted policy differences on immigration and farm labor, though candidates broadly acknowledged the need for skilled agricultural labor ahead of the Minnesota primary.