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]
The current chair is Democrat Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, and the ranking member is Republican John Boozman of Arkansas.
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:
- Agricultural economics and research.
- Agricultural extension services and experiment stations.
- Agricultural production, marketing, and stabilization of prices.
- Agriculture and agricultural commodities.
- Animal industry and diseases.
- Crop insurance and soil conservation.
- Farm credit and farm security.
- Food from fresh waters.
- Food stamp programs.
- Forestry, and forest reserves and wilderness areas other than those created from the public domain.
- Home economics.
- Human nutrition.
- Inspection of livestock, meat, and agricultural products.
- Pests and pesticides.
- Plant industry, soils, and agricultural engineering.
- Rural development, rural electrification, and watersheds.
- 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, 118th Congress
| Majority[10] | Minority[11] |
|---|---|
|
|
Subcommittees
| Subcommittees[12] | Chair | Ranking members |
|---|---|---|
| Commodities, Risk Management and Trade | Raphael Warnock (D-GA) | John Hoeven (R-ND) |
| Conservation, Forestry and Natural Resources | Michael Bennet (D-CO) | Roger Marshall (R-KS) |
| Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, Local Food Systems, and Food Safety and Security | Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) | Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) |
| Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research | Cory Booker (D-NJ) | Mike Braun (R-IN) |
| Rural Development and Energy | Tina Smith (D-MN) | Joni Ernst (R-IA) |
Chairs
The committee, under its various names, has been chaired by the following senators:[13]
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[14] | 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[15] | |
| Richard G. Lugar | Republican | Indiana | 2001 | |
| Thomas Harkin | Democratic | Iowa | 2001–2003[16] | |
| 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
117th Congress
| Majority | Minority |
|---|---|
|
|
Subcommittees
| Subcommittees[17] | Chair | Ranking members |
|---|---|---|
| Commodities, Markets and Trade | Raphael Warnock (D-GA) | John Hoeven (R-ND) |
| Conservation, Forestry and Natural Resources | Michael Bennet (D-CO) | Roger Marshall (R-KS) |
| Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, Local Food Systems, and Food Safety and Security | Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) | Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) |
| Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research | Cory Booker (D-NJ) | Mike Braun (R-IN) |
| Rural Development and Energy | Tina Smith (D-MN) | Joni Ernst (R-IA) |
116th Congress
| Majority | Minority |
|---|---|
|
|
Subcommittees
| Subcommittees[18] | 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 [19]
115th Congress
| Majority | Minority |
|---|---|
|
|
Subcommittees
| Subcommittees[18] | Chair | Ranking members |
|---|---|---|
| Commodities, Markets and Trade | John Boozman (R-AR) | Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) |
| Conservation, Forestry and Natural Resources | Steve Daines (R-MT) | Michael Bennet (D-CO) |
| Livestock, Marketing and Agriculture Security | David Perdue (R-GA) | Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) |
| Nutrition, Agricultural Research and Specialty Crops | Luther Strange (R-AL) | Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA) |
| Rural Development and Energy | Joni Ernst (R-IA) | Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) |
114th Congress
| Majority | Minority |
|---|---|
|
|
Subcomittees
| Subcommittees[18] | Chair | Ranking members |
|---|---|---|
| Commodities, Markets and Trade | John Boozman (R-AR) | Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) |
| Conservation, Forestry and Natural Resources | David Perdue (R-GA) | Michael Bennet (D-CO) |
| Livestock, Marketing and Agriculture Security | Ben Sasse (R-NE) | Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) |
| Nutrition, Agricultural Research and Specialty Crops | John Hoeven (R-ND) | Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA) |
| Rural Development and Energy | Joni Ernst (R-IA) | Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) |
113th Congress
| Majority | Minority |
|---|---|
|
|
Committees
| Subcommittees[18] | Chair | Ranking members |
|---|---|---|
| Commodities, Markets and Trade | Joe Donnelly (D-IN) | Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) |
| Conservation, Forestry and Natural Resources | Michael Bennet (D-CO) | John Boozman (R-AR) |
| Livestock, Marketing and Agriculture Security | Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) | Pat Roberts (R-KS) |
| Nutrition, Agricultural Research and Specialty Crops | Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA) | John Hoeven (R-ND) |
| Rural Development and Energy | Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) | Mike Johanns (R-NE) |
See also
References
- ↑ "Jurisdiction". Retrieved September 27, 2018.
- 1 2 Register of Debates in Congress. December 9, 1825. pp. 5–6.
- ↑ "Chapter 1: The Committee is Created: 1825–1857". The United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 1825–1998. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
- ↑ Congressional Globe, December 23, 1856, pp. 182–184.
- ↑ Journal of the Senate, March 5, 1857, p. 386.
- ↑ Daniel J. Boorstin (1973), The Americans: The Democratic Experience p. 119, New York: Vintage Press.
- ↑ U.S. Senate (1976). Temporary Select Committee to Study the Senate Committee System, p. 15. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.
- ↑ "Chapter 7: Borrowing and Credit: 1970–1979". The United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 1825–1998. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
- 1 2 "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. - ↑ S.Res. 30 (118th Congress)
- ↑ S.Res. 31 (118th Congress)
- ↑ "Subcommittees". Retrieved March 25, 2021.
- ↑ "Chairmen of Senate Standing Committees 1789-present" (PDF). Retrieved September 23, 2020.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ "Subcommittees". Retrieved March 25, 2021.
- 1 2 3 4 "Subcommittees". Retrieved September 27, 2018.
- ↑ "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
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