The United States House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture, or Agriculture Committee is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. The House Committee on Agriculture has general jurisdiction over federal agriculture policy and oversight of some federal agencies, and it can recommend funding appropriations for various governmental agencies, programs, and activities, as defined by House rules.

History of the committee

The Agriculture Committee was created on May 3, 1820, after Lewis Williams of North Carolina sponsored a resolution to create the committee and give agricultural issues equal weight with commercial and manufacturing interests. The committee originally consisted of seven members, from the states of Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia. Thomas Forrest of Pennsylvania was the first chair. The Agriculture Committee remained a seven-member body until 1835, when two more members were added. It was not until 1871 that the next two members were added. Since then it has gradually grown to its current size of 46 members.

The U.S. Senate counterpart to the House Agriculture Committee, the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, was created on December 9, 1825.

Role of the committee

The Agriculture Committee is not generally considered to be a particularly powerful one. However, it is an important committee to be on for Representatives from many rural areas where agriculture is the main industry. The committee has jurisdiction over agriculture, forestry, nutrition, water conservation, and other agriculture-related fields.

Jurisdiction

thumb|Members of the 115th Congress House Committee on Agriculture received belt buckles for their service.

As prescribed by House Rules, the Committee on Agriculture's jurisdiction includes the following:

  • Adulteration of seeds, insect pests, and protection of birds and animals in forest reserves
  • Agriculture generally
  • Agricultural and industrial chemistry
  • Agricultural colleges and experiment stations
  • Agricultural economics and research
  • Agricultural education extension services
  • Agricultural production, marketing and stabilization of prices of agricultural products, and commodities (excluding foreign distribution)
  • Animal industry and diseases of animals
  • Commodity exchanges
  • Crop insurance and soil conservation
  • Dairy industry
  • Entomology and plant quarantine
  • Extension of farm credit and farm security
  • Inspection of livestock, poultry, meat products, and seafood and seafood products
  • Forestry in general and forest reserves other than those created from the public domain
  • Human nutrition and home economics
  • Plant industry, soils, and agricultural engineering
  • Rural electrification
  • Rural developments
  • Water conservation related to activities of the Department of Agriculture

Members, 119th Congress

{|class=wikitable

|-

!Majority

!Minority

|-

| valign=top |

  • Glenn Thompson, Pennsylvania, Chair
  • Frank Lucas, Oklahoma
  • Austin Scott, Georgia, Vice Chair

!Ranking member

|-

|General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit

|Austin Scott (R-GA)

|Sharice Davids (D-KS)

|-

|Forestry and Horticulture

|Doug LaMalfa (R-CA)

|Andrea Salinas (D-OR)

|-

|Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology

|Frank Lucas (R-OK)

|Jill Tokuda (D-HI)

|-

|Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture

|Brad Finstad (R-MN)

|Jahana Hayes (D-CT)

|-

|Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry

|Tracey Mann (R-KS)

|Jim Costa (D-CA)

|-

|Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development

|Dusty Johnson (R-SD)

|Don Davis (D-NC)

|}

Historical membership rosters

115th Congress

{|class=wikitable

|-

!Majority

!Ranking Member

|-

|Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit

|David Scott (D-GA)

|Austin Scott (R-GA)

|-

|Conservation and Forestry

|Abigail Spanberger (D-VA)

|Doug LaMalfa (R-CA)

|-

|Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations

|Marcia Fudge (D-OH)

|Dusty Johnson (R-SD)

|-

|General Farm Commodities and Risk Management

|Filemon Vela Jr. (D-TX)

|Glenn Thompson (R-PA)

|-

|Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research

|Stacey Plaskett (D-VI)

|Neal Dunn (R-FL)

|-

|Livestock and Foreign Agriculture

|Jim Costa (D-CA)

|David Rouzer (R-NC)

|}

117th Congress

{|class=wikitable

|-

!Majority

!Minority

|-

| valign=top |

  • David Scott, Georgia, Chair
  • Jim Costa, California
  • Jim McGovern, Massachusetts
  • Filemon Vela Jr., Texas (until March 31, 2022)
  • Alma Adams, North Carolina, Vice Chair
  • Abigail Spanberger, Virginia
  • Jahana Hayes, Connecticut
  • Antonio Delgado, New York (until May 25, 2022)
  • Shontel Brown, Ohio (since November 4, 2021)
  • Bobby Rush, Illinois
  • Chellie Pingree, Maine
  • <span >Gregorio Sablan, Northern Mariana Islands</span>
  • Ann McLane Kuster, New Hampshire
  • Cheri Bustos, Illinois
  • Sean Patrick Maloney, New York
  • Stacey Plaskett, U.S. Virgin Islands
  • Tom O'Halleran, Arizona
  • Salud Carbajal, California
  • Ro Khanna, California
  • Al Lawson, Florida
  • Lou Correa, California
  • Angie Craig, Minnesota
  • Josh Harder, California
  • Cindy Axne, Iowa
  • Kim Schrier, Washington
  • Jimmy Panetta, California
  • Ann Kirkpatrick, Arizona (until November 29, 2021)
  • Sanford Bishop, Georgia
  • Marcy Kaptur, Ohio (since May 10, 2022)
  • Sharice Davids, Kansas (since June 14, 2022)

| valign=top |

  • Glenn Thompson, Pennsylvania, Ranking Member
  • Austin Scott, Georgia
  • Rick Crawford, Arkansas
  • Scott DesJarlais, Tennessee
  • Vicky Hartzler, Missouri
  • Doug LaMalfa, California
  • Rodney Davis, Illinois
  • Rick W. Allen, Georgia
  • David Rouzer, North Carolina
  • Trent Kelly, Mississippi
  • Don Bacon, Nebraska
  • Dusty Johnson, South Dakota
  • Jim Baird, Indiana
  • Jim Hagedorn, Minnesota (until February 17, 2022)
  • Chris Jacobs, New York
  • Troy Balderson, Ohio
  • Michael Cloud, Texas
  • Tracey Mann, Kansas
  • Randy Feenstra, Iowa
  • Mary Miller, Illinois
  • Barry Moore, Alabama
  • Kat Cammack, Florida
  • Michelle Fischbach, Minnesota
  • Julia Letlow, Louisiana (until May 2022)
  • Mayra Flores, Texas (since June 22, 2022)
  • Brad Finstad, Minnesota (since September 13, 2022)

|}

Resolutions electing members: (Chair), (Ranking Member), (D), (R), (D), (D), (D), (R), (D), (D), (R), (R)

;Subcommittees

{|class="wikitable"

|-

!Subcommittee

!Chair

!Ranking Member

|-

|Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research

|Stacey Plaskett (D-VI)

|Jim Baird (R-IN)

|-

|Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit

|Antonio Delgado (D-NY)

|Michelle Fischbach (R-MN)

|-

|Conservation and Forestry

|Abigail Spanberger (D-VA)

|Doug LaMalfa (R-CA)

|-

|General Farm Commodities and Risk Management

|Cheri Bustos (D-IL)

|Austin Scott (R-GA)

|-

|Livestock and Foreign Agriculture

|Jim Costa (D-CA)

|Dusty Johnson (R-SD)

|-

|Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations

|Jahana Hayes (D-CT)

|Don Bacon (R-NE)

|-

|}

118th Congress

{|class=wikitable

|-

!Majority

!Minority

|-

| valign=top |

  • Glenn Thompson, Pennsylvania, Chair
  • Frank Lucas, Oklahoma
  • Austin Scott, Georgia
  • Rick Crawford, Arkansas
  • Scott DesJarlais, Tennessee
  • Doug LaMalfa, California
  • David Rouzer, North Carolina
  • Trent Kelly, Mississippi
  • Don Bacon, Nebraska
  • Mike Bost, Illinois
  • Dusty Johnson, South Dakota
  • Jim Baird, Indiana
  • Tracey Mann, Kansas
  • Randy Feenstra, Iowa
  • Mary Miller, Illinois
  • Barry Moore, Alabama
  • Kat Cammack, Florida
  • Brad Finstad, Minnesota
  • John Rose, Tennessee
  • Ronny Jackson, Texas
  • Marc Molinaro, New York
  • Monica De La Cruz, Texas
  • Nick Langworthy, New York
  • John Duarte, California
  • Zach Nunn, Iowa
  • Mark Alford, Missouri
  • Derrick Van Orden, Wisconsin
  • Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Oregon
  • Max Miller, Ohio

| valign=top |

  • David Scott, Georgia, Ranking Member
  • Jim Costa, California
  • Jim McGovern, Massachusetts
  • Alma Adams, North Carolina
  • Abigail Spanberger, Virginia
  • Jahana Hayes, Connecticut
  • Shontel Brown, Ohio
  • Stacey Plaskett, Virgin Islands (until February 28, 2023)
  • Sharice Davids, Kansas
  • Elissa Slotkin, Michigan
  • Yadira Caraveo, Colorado
  • Andrea Salinas, Oregon
  • Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Washington
  • Don Davis, North Carolina
  • Jill Tokuda, Hawaii
  • Nikki Budzinski, Illinois
  • Eric Sorensen, Illinois
  • Gabe Vasquez, New Mexico
  • Jasmine Crockett, Texas
  • Jonathan Jackson, Illinois
  • Greg Casar, Texas
  • Chellie Pingree, Maine
  • Salud Carbajal, California
  • Angie Craig, Minnesota
  • Darren Soto, Florida
  • Sanford Bishop, Georgia (from March 8, 2023)

|}

Resolutions electing members: (Chair), (Ranking Member), (D), (R), (D), (R), (D)

;Subcommittees

{|class="wikitable"

|-

!Subcommittee

!Chair

!Ranking Member

|-

|Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development

|Dusty Johnson (R-SD)

|Yadira Caraveo (D-CO)

|-

|Conservation, Research and Biotechnology

|Jim Baird (R-IN)

|Abigail Spanberger (D-VA)

|-

|Forestry

|Doug LaMalfa (R-CA)

|Andrea Salinas (D-OR)

|-

|General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit

|Austin Scott (R-GA)

|Shontel Brown (D-OH)

|-

|Livestock, Dairy and Poultry

|Tracey Mann (R-KS)

|Jim Costa (D-CA)

|-

|Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture and Horticulture

|Brad Finstad (R-MN)

|Jahana Hayes (D-CT)

|}

Leadership

<div style=display:inline-grid>

{|class="wikitable sortable"

|-

|+ Chairs

!Name

!Party

!State

!Start

!End

|-

|

|Federalist

|Pennsylvania

|1820

|1821

|-

|

|Democratic-Republican

|New Hampshire

|1821

|1823

|-

|

|National Republican

|New York

|1823

|1829

|-

|

|National Republican

|New York

|1829

|1831

|-

|

|Democratic

|New York

|1831

|1833

|-

|

|Democratic

|New York

|1833

|1837

|-

|

|Whig

|North Carolina

|1837

|1845

|-

|

|Democratic

|New York

|1845

|1847

|-

|

|Whig

|New York

|1847

|1849

|-

|

|Democratic

|Maine

|1849

|1851

|-

|

|Democratic

|New York

|1851

|1853

|-

|

|Democratic

|Pennsylvania

|1853

|1855

|-

|

|Opposition

|Indiana

|1855

|1857

|-

|

|Democratic

|Delaware

|1857

|1859

|-

|

|Republican

|New York

|1859

|1861

|-

|

|Republican

|Illinois

|1861

|1863

|-

|

|Union Democratic

|Kentucky

|1863

|1865

|-

|

|Republican

|California

|1865

|1867

|-

|

|Republican

|Michigan

|1867

|1869

|-

|

|Republican

|Ohio

|1869

|1873

|-

|

|Republican

|Alabama

|1873

|1875

|-

|

|Democratic

|Alabama

|1875

|1877

|-

|

|Democratic

|New Jersey

|1877

|1879

|-

|

|Democratic

|New York

|1879

|1881

|-

|

|Republican

|Nebraska

|1881

|1883

|-

|

|Democratic

|Missouri

|1883

|1889

|-

|

|Republican

|Kansas

|1889

|1891

|-

|

|Democratic

|Missouri

|1891

|1895

|-

|

|Republican

|New York

|1895

|1907

|-

|

|Republican

|Kansas

|1907

|1911

|-

|

|Democratic

|Virginia

|1911

|1913

|-

|

|Democratic

|South Carolina

|1913

|1919

|-

|

|Republican

|Iowa

|1919

|1931

|-

|

|Democratic

|Texas

|1931

|1941

|-

|

|Democratic

|South Carolina

|1941

|1945

|-

|

|Democratic

|Virginia

|1945

|1947

|-

|

|Republican

|Kansas

|1947

|1949

|-

|

|Democratic

|North Carolina

|1949

|1953

|-

|

|Republican

|Kansas

|1953

|1955

|-

|

|Democratic

|North Carolina

|1955

|1967

|-

|

|Democratic

|Texas

|1967

|1975

|-

|

|Democratic

|Washington

|1975

|1981

|-

|

|Democratic

|Texas

|1981

|1995

|-

|

|Republican

|Kansas

|1995

|1997

|-

|

|Republican

|Oregon

|1997

|1999

|-

|

|Republican

|Texas

|1999

|2003

|-

|

|Republican

|Virginia

|2003

|2007

|-

|

|Democratic

|Minnesota

|2007

|2011

|-

|

|Republican

|Oklahoma

|2011

|2015

|-

|

|Republican

|Texas

|2015

|2019

|-

|

|Democratic

|Minnesota

|2019

|2021

|-

|

|Democratic

|Georgia

|2021

|2023

|-

|

|Republican

|Pennsylvania

|2023

|present

|}

</div>

<div style=display:inline-grid>

{| class="wikitable sortable"

|+ Ranking members

!Name

!Party

!State

!Start

!End

|-

|

|Democratic

|Virginia

|1947

|1949

|-

|

|Republican

|Kansas

|1949

|1953

|-

|

|Democratic

|North Carolina

|1953

|1955

|-

|

|Republican

|Kansas

|1955

|1957

|-

|

|Republican

|Minnesota

|1957

|1958

|-

|

|Republican

|Colorado

|1958

|1959

|-

|

|Republican

|Iowa

|1959

|1965

|-

|

|Republican

|Pennsylvania

|1965

|1966

|-

|

|Republican

|Oklahoma

|1967

|1973

|-

|

|Republican

|California

|1973

|1974

|-

|

|Republican

|Virginia

|1974

|1983

|-

|

|Republican

|Illinois

|1983

|1991

|-

|

|Republican

|Missouri

|1991

|1993

|-

|

|Republican

|Kansas

|1993

|1995

|-

|

|Democratic

|Texas

|1995

|1997

|-

|

|Democratic

|Texas

|1997

|2005

|-

|

|Democratic

|Minnesota

|2005

|2007

|-

|

|Republican

|Virginia

|2007

|2009

|-

|

|Republican

|Oklahoma

|2009

|2011

|-

|

|Democratic

|Minnesota

|2011

|2019

|-

|

|Republican

|Texas

|2019

|2021

|-

|

|Republican

|Pennsylvania

|2021

|2023

|-

|

|Democratic

|Georgia

|2023

|2025

|-

|

|Democratic

|Minnesota

|2025

|present

|}

</div>

Notes

References

See also

  • List of United States House of Representatives committees
  • Agriculture Committee Homepage, official website (Archive)
  • Committee Rules (PDF), Agriculture Committee, official website
  • House Agriculture Committee. Legislation activity and reports, Congress.gov.
  • House Agriculture Committee Hearings and Meetings Video. Congress.gov
  • Past Committee Chairs, Agriculture Committee, official website