United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

The Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of all matters relating to the nation's agriculture industry, farming programs, forestry and logging, and legislation relating to nutrition, home economics, and rural development.[1]

Senate Agriculture Committee

Standing committee
Active United States Senate 117th Congress
History
Formed	December 9, 1825
Leadership
Chair	Debbie Stabenow (D) Since January 20, 2021
Ranking member	John Boozman (R) Since January 20, 2021
Structure
Political parties	Majority (11)   Democratic (11) Minority (11)   Republican (11)
Jurisdiction
Policy areas	Agriculture, Crop insurance, Farm bill, Farm credit, Food stamps, Food inspection, Forestry, Home economics, Nutrition, Rural development, Rural electrification, Watersheds
Oversight authority	Department of Agriculture, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Farm Credit Administration, Commodity Credit Corporation, Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, United States Forest Service
House counterpart	Committee on Agriculture
Subcommittees
Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade Rural Development and Energy Conservation, Forestry, and Natural Resources Nutrition, Agricultural Research, and Specialty Crops Livestock, Marketing, and Agriculture Security
Meeting place
328A Russell Senate Office Building
Website
https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/
Rules
Rule XXV.1.(a), Standing Rules of the Senate Committee Rules

History

Founded in 1825 the Committee was formed at the request of Senator William Findlay from Pennsylvania. Arguing that agriculture was as important to national progress as commerce and manufacturing, Findlay succeeded in persuading the full Senate to divide the Committee on Commerce and Manufactures into two separate committees. The Committee on Agriculture was formed by resolution on December 9, 1825.[2]

During the first four decades of the existence of this committee, the need for it was repeatedly called into question. At that time in America, nearly ⅔ of the population was directly engaged in agriculture.[2] As such, issues related to agriculture overlapped with areas covered by other committees and were often referred to those committees instead of the Agriculture Committee.[3]

Following a debate over the necessity of various committees to have need of the services of a dedicated clerk, a Special Committee was formed to investigate ways to "reduce the number and increase the efficiency of the committees."[4] On February 17, 1857, the Special Committee submitted a plan of reorganization for the committees that did not include the Agriculture Committee. During a special session of the Senate, on March 5, 1857, the Senate approved the Special Committees recommendations and the Committee on Agriculture was dissolved.[5]

In 1862, the country was embroiled in the Civil War, a large influx of immigrants was occurring and the nation was moving towards industrialization. That year, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Organic Act recreating the Department of Agriculture.[6]

It became the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry in 1884, a reflection of the growing importance of forests to the country's needs.[7] It was renamed again to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry in 1977. Nutrition was added to the name after the Food and Agriculture Act of 1977 directed the Department of Agriculture to "conduct more human nutrition research, establish a national nutrition education program and develop a system to monitor America's nutritional status".[8]

Jurisdiction

In accordance of Rule XXV of the United States Senate, all proposed legislation, messages, petitions, memorials, and other matters relating to the following subjects are referred to the Agriculture Committee:

1. Agricultural economics and research.
2. Agricultural extension services and experiment stations.
3. Agricultural production, marketing, and stabilization of prices.
4. Agriculture and agricultural commodities.
5. Animal industry and diseases.
6. Crop insurance and soil conservation.
7. Farm credit and farm security.
8. Food from fresh waters.
9. Food stamp programs.
10. Forestry, and forest reserves and wilderness areas other than those created from the public domain.
11. Home economics.
12. Human nutrition.
13. Inspection of livestock, meat, and agricultural products.
14. Pests and pesticides.
15. Plant industry, soils, and agricultural engineering.
16. Rural development, rural electrification, and watersheds.
17. School nutrition programs.[9]

The Agriculture Committee is also charged "to study and review, on a comprehensive basis, matters relating to food, nutrition, and hunger, both in the United States and in foreign countries, and rural affairs, and report thereon from time to time."[9]

Members, 117th Congress

Majority	Minority
Debbie Stabenow, Michigan, Chairwoman Patrick Leahy, Vermont Sherrod Brown, Ohio Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota Michael Bennet, Colorado Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Tina Smith, Minnesota Dick Durbin, Illinois Cory Booker, New Jersey Ben Ray Luján, New Mexico Raphael Warnock, Georgia	John Boozman, Arkansas, Ranking Member Mitch McConnell, Kentucky John Hoeven, North Dakota Joni Ernst, Iowa Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi Mike Braun, Indiana Chuck Grassley, Iowa John Thune, South Dakota Deb Fischer, Nebraska Roger Marshall, Kansas Tommy Tuberville, Alabama

Subcommittees

Subcommittees[10]	Chair	Ranking members
Commodities, Markets and Trade	John Boozman (R-AR)	Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
Conservation, Forestry and Natural Resources	Mike Braun (R-IN)	Michael Bennet (D-CO)
Livestock, Marketing and Agriculture Security	Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS)	Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Nutrition, Agricultural Research and Specialty Crops	Deb Fischer (R-NE)	Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA)
Rural Development and Energy	Joni Ernst (R-IA)	Tina Smith (D-MN)

Chairs

The committee, under its various names, has been chaired by the following senators:[11]

Committee on Agriculture, 1825–1857

	Chair	Party	State	Years
	William Findlay	Jacksonian	Pennsylvania	1825-1826
	Calvin Willey	Adams	Connecticut	1826-1827
	John Branch	Jacksonian	North Carolina	1827-1828
	Ephraim Bateman	Adams	New Jersey	1828-1829
	Charles D. Bouligny	Adams	Louisiana	1829
	William Marks	Anti-Jackson	Pennsylvania	1829–1831
	Horatio Seymour	Anti-Jackson	Vermont	1831–1833
	Bedford Brown	Jacksonian	North Carolina	1833–1836
	John Page	Jacksonian	New Hampshire	1836–1837
	Perry Smith	Democratic	Connecticut	1837–1839
	Alexander Mouton	Democratic	Louisiana	1839–1841
	Lewis F. Linn	Democratic	Missouri	1841–1843
	William Upham	Whig	Vermont	1843–1845
	Daniel Sturgeon	Democratic	Pennsylvania	1845–1851
	Presley Spruance[12]	Whig	Delaware	1851
	Pierre Soule	Democratic	Louisiana	1851–1853
	Philip Allen	Democratic	Rhode Island	1853–1857

Committee on Agriculture, 1863–1884

	Chair	Party	State	Years
	John Sherman	Republican	Ohio	1863–1864
	James H. Lane	Republican	Kansas	1864-1865
	John Sherman	Republican	Ohio	1865-1867
	Simon Cameron	Republican	Pennsylvania	1867–1871
	Oliver Morton	Republican	Indiana	1871–1872
	Frederick T. Frelinghuysen	Republican	New Jersey	1872–1877
	Algernon S. Paddock	Republican	Nebraska	1877–1879
	John Johnston	Democratic	Virginia	1879–1881
	William Mahone	Readjuster/Republican	Virginia	1881-1883
	Warner Miller	Republican	New York	1883-1884

Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, 1884–1977

	Chair	Party	State	Years
	Warner Miller	Republican	New York	1884–1887
	Thomas Palmer	Republican	Michigan	1887–1889
	Algernon S. Paddock	Republican	Nebraska	1889–1893
	James Z. George	Democratic	Mississippi	1893–1895
	Redfield Proctor	Republican	Vermont	1895–1908
	Henry C. Hansbrough	Republican	North Dakota	1908–1909
	Jonathan P. Dolliver	Republican	Iowa	1909–1910
	Henry E. Burnham	Republican	New Hampshire	1911–1913
	Thomas P. Gore	Democratic	Oklahoma	1913–1919
	Asle J. Gronna	Republican	North Dakota	1919–1921
	George W. Norris	Republican	Nebraska	1921–1926
	Charles McNary	Republican	Oregon	1926–1933
	Ellison D. Smith	Democratic	South Carolina	1933–1944
	Elmer Thomas	Democratic	Oklahoma	1944–1947
	Arthur Capper	Republican	Kansas	1947–1949
	Elmer Thomas	Democratic	Oklahoma	1949–1951
	Allen J. Ellender	Democratic	Louisiana	1951–1953
	George D. Aiken	Republican	Vermont	1953–1955
	Allen J. Ellender	Democratic	Louisiana	1955–1971
	Herman E. Talmadge	Democratic	Georgia	1971–1977

Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, 1977–present

	Chair	Party	State	Years
	Herman E. Talmadge	Democratic	Georgia	1977–1981
	Jesse Helms	Republican	North Carolina	1981–1987
	Patrick Leahy	Democratic	Vermont	1987–1995
	Richard G. Lugar	Republican	Indiana	1995–2001
	Thomas Harkin	Democratic	Iowa	2001[13]
	Richard G. Lugar	Republican	Indiana	2001
	Thomas Harkin	Democratic	Iowa	2001–2003[14]
	Thad Cochran	Republican	Mississippi	2003–2005
	Saxby Chambliss	Republican	Georgia	2005–2007
	Tom Harkin	Democratic	Iowa	2007–2009
	Blanche Lincoln	Democratic	Arkansas	2009–2011
	Debbie Stabenow	Democratic	Michigan	2011–2015
	Pat Roberts	Republican	Kansas	2015–2021
	Debbie Stabenow	Democratic	Michigan	2021–present

Historical committee rosters

116th Congress

Majority	Minority
Pat Roberts, Kansas, Chairman Mitch McConnell, Kentucky John Boozman, Arkansas John Hoeven, North Dakota Joni Ernst, Iowa Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi Mike Braun, Indiana David Perdue, Georgia (until January 6, 2020) Chuck Grassley, Iowa John Thune, South Dakota Deb Fischer, Nebraska Kelly Loeffler, Georgia (from January 6, 2020)	Debbie Stabenow, Michigan, Ranking Member Patrick Leahy, Vermont Sherrod Brown, Ohio Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota Michael Bennet, Colorado Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Bob Casey, Pennsylvania Tina Smith, Minnesota Dick Durbin, Illinois

Subcommittees

Subcommittees[15]	Chair	Ranking members
Commodities, Markets and Trade	John Boozman (R-AR)	Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
Conservation, Forestry and Natural Resources	Mike Braun (R-IN)	Michael Bennet (D-CO)
Livestock, Marketing and Agriculture Security	Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS)	Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Nutrition, Agricultural Research and Specialty Crops	Deb Fischer (R-NE)	Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA)
Rural Development and Energy	Joni Ernst (R-IA)	Tina Smith (D-MN)

Source [16]

115th Congress

Majority	Minority
Pat Roberts, Kansas, Chairman Thad Cochran, Mississippi (until April 1, 2018) Mitch McConnell, Kentucky John Boozman, Arkansas John Hoeven, North Dakota Joni Ernst, Iowa Chuck Grassley, Iowa John Thune, South Dakota Steve Daines, Montana David Perdue, Georgia Deb Fischer, Nebraska Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi (from April 10, 2018)	Debbie Stabenow, Michigan, Ranking Member Patrick Leahy, Vermont Sherrod Brown, Ohio Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota Michael Bennet, Colorado Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Joe Donnelly, Indiana Heidi Heitkamp, North Dakota Bob Casey, Pennsylvania Chris Van Hollen, Maryland (until January 2018) Tina Smith, Minnesota (since January 2018)

See also

• List of current United States Senate committees
• United States House Committee on Agriculture

References

1. "Jurisdiction". Retrieved September 27, 2018.
2. Register of Debates in Congress. December 9, 1825. pp. 5–6.
3. "Chapter 1: The Committee is Created: 1825–1857". The United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 1825–1998. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
4. Congressional Globe, December 23, 1856, pp. 182–184.
5. Journal of the Senate, March 5, 1857, p. 386.
6. Daniel J. Boorstin (1973), The Americans: The Democratic Experience p. 119, New York: Vintage Press.
7. U.S. Senate (1976). Temporary Select Committee to Study the Senate Committee System, p. 15. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.
8. "Chapter 7: Borrowing and Credit: 1970–1979". The United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 1825–1998. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
9. "Jurisdiction". The United States Senate Committee On Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry. Retrieved May 31, 2019. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
10. "Subcommittees". Retrieved September 27, 2018.
11. "Chairmen of Senate Standing Committees 1789-present" (PDF). Retrieved September 23, 2020.
12. On March 4, 1851, upon convening in special session, the Senate resolved, “That the committees of the Senate at the Executive session shall be formed and constituted the same as at the last session of Congress, except where vacancies have occurred by the expiration of the term of any senator, and in such cases said vacancies shall be filled by the Chair.” The terms of both the chairman (Daniel Sturgeon) and 2nd most senior member of this committee having expired, Presley Spruance has been included as chairman on this list.
13. At the beginning of the 107th Congress in January 2001 the Senate was evenly divided. With a Democratic president and vice president still serving until January 20, the Democratic vice president was available to break a tie, and the Democrats thus controlled the Senate for 17 days, from January 3 to January 20. On January 3 the Senate adopted S. Res. 7 designating Democratic senators as committee chairmen to serve during this period and Republican chairmen to serve effective at noon on January 20, 2001.
14. On June 6, 2001, the Democrats took control of the Senate after Senator James Jeffords (VT) changed from the Republican Party to Independent and announced that he would caucus with the Democrats.
15. "Subcommittees". Retrieved September 27, 2018.
16. "U.S. Senate: Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry". www.senate.gov. Retrieved April 11, 2018.

External links

• Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee (Archive)
• Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee. Legislation activity and reports, Congress.gov.
• The United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 1825 – 1998 (including Committee membership lists),
• Government Printing Office: Committee reports, 106th Congress-present
• Commodity Futures Trading Commission
• Farm Credit Administration
• Rules of the United States Senate