Business owners resoundingly oppose President Barack Obama’s policies, with nearly 60 percent disapproving of his job performance, according to a Gallup Poll released Thursday.

Fifty-nine percent of business owners said they disapprove of Obama’s job performance, compared with 35 percent who said they approve.

Their approval of the president has fallen from 41 percent in the first quarter to 35 percent in the second quarter of 2012, a drop of 6 points.

This puts business owners with the second-lowest approval in terms of occupational groups measured by Gallup.

The group with the lowest approval was farming, fishing or forestry workers, who disapproved of the president, 57 percent to 34 percent.

“[F]urther deterioration in his approval rating among business owners could certainly add to the perception that Obama is not doing enough to bolster small businesses in the country,” the poll said. “They are of course a critical component of the economy and overall economic optimism in the country. If business owners become more positive about Obama and his plans for the economy, that could potentially boost his approval ratings and broader U.S. economic confidence closer to the levels necessary for him to be well positioned for reelection.”

The group that is most approving of the president’s job performance is professional workers, who approved 52 percent to 43 percent.

Gallup surveyed 25,464 individuals for the poll, sorting adults into 11 job categories.

Overall, working Americans are split on the president: 47 percent approve of the job he is doing, while 47 percent disapprove.

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