Agricultural Committee Assignments in the 108th Congress
A Shift in Power Brings Many New Faces

By Elizabeth Haws

House Agriculture Committee

     New faces abound on the House Agriculture Committee.  There are 17 new members to the Committee; many have yet cut their teeth on convoluted agriculture policy.  There is also a new leader at the helm of the committee, Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) who previously chaired the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry.   It will be interesting to see what direction the new leadership and members take the committee.  Considering Chairman Goodlatte is an attorney and his previous subcommittee experience, there will likely be more oversight hearings reviewing programs under the committee’s jurisdiction. 

     Rep. Charlie Stenholm (D-TX) will again be the Ranking Member of the committee.  His experience and expertise on agriculture policy will be a keen asset to the Committee.

     The new Republican members of the House Agriculture Committee are: William Janklow (SD), Max Burns (GA), Jo Bonner (AL), Mike Rogers (AL), Steve King (IA), Chris Chocola (IN), Marilyn Musgrave (CO), and Devin Nunes (CA).  New Democratic members are Rodney Alexander (LA), Frank Ballance (NC), Dennis Cardoza (CA), James Marshall (GA), Ed Case (HI), David Scott (GA), Mark Udall (CO), and Lincoln Davis (TN).  Earl Pomeroy (D-ND) is rejoining the committee. 

House Agriculture Subcommittee Chairs

     Rep. Jerry Moran (R-KS) was tapped by Chairman Goodlatte as the new chairman of the General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Subcommittee.  This subcommittee has jurisdiction over crop insurance commodities and commodity exchanges.  Moran replaces former Rep. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) who was elected to the Senate and will be serving on the Senate Agriculture Committee.

     Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK) will continue to serve as the Chairman of the Conservation, Credit, Rural Development and Research Subcommittee. 

     The new Chairman of the Specialty Crops and Foreign Agriculture Programs Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over peanuts, sugar, tobacco, honey, marketing orders, foreign agricultural assistance and trade promotion programs, will be Rep. Bill Jenkins (R-TN).  Rep. Terry Everett (R-AL), who formerly held the chair, gave it up to chair the Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee.

     Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-MN) will be the new Chairman of the Department Operations Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry Subcommittee, which was held by Goodlatte last Congress.  This subcommittee covers agency oversight, review and analysis, special investigations, food stamps, nutrition and consumer programs, forestry, energy and biobased energy production and dairy. 

     Rep. Robin Hayes (R-NC) will chair the Livestock and Horticulture Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over livestock, poultry, meat, seafood and seafood products, aquaculture, animal welfare, grazing, fruits and vegetables, marketing, and promotion orders.  Rep. Nick Pombo (R-CA), who took the helm as Chairman of the Resources Committee, had previously chaired the subcommittee. 

House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture

     There was no change to membership on the House Subcommittee on Agriculture Appropriations.  Rep. Henry Bonilla (R-TX) will again chair the subcommittee.  Republicans retained the experience of the members who served last Congress on the subcommittee: James Walsh (NY), Jack Kingston (GA), George Nethercutt (WA), Tom Latham (IA), Jo Ann Emerson (MO), Ray LaHood (IL) and Virgil Goode (VA- Independent –caucuses with the Republicans).  Rep. Marcy Kaptur (OH) will remain the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee.  The following Democrat members will again serve on the Subcommittee: Rosa DeLauro (CT), Maurice Hinchey (NY), Sam Farr (CA), and Allen Boyd (FL).

Senate Agriculture Committee

     The elections put the Republicans in control of the Senate.  Though the margin of victory is slim, (51- 49) it brought major changes.  Though he is not now making life and death decisions as the new Senate Majority Leader, Senator Bill Frist (R-TN) the talented heart surgeon, will have to perform some great feats in the Senate to push through the President’s legislative agenda. 

     At the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee there are sweeping changes as well, starting with a new chairman, Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS).  New freshmen members include Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) who will chair the Subcommittee on Production and Price Competitiveness, and Senator James Talent (R-MO) will chair the Subcommittee on Marketing, Inspection and Product Promotion. Minnesota will continue to have representation on the committee as Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN) acquired a seat.  The committee will also benefit from the previous agricultural policy experience of Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) who will rejoin the committee and Senator Chambliss (R-GA), though a freshman senator, served a number of years on the House Agriculture Committee.

     The shift in power pushed Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) former Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee to the position of Ranking Member.  There were no other changes to the Democratic side of the committee. 

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture

     Chairman Cochran is very powerful in the agriculture arena – not only is he Chairman of the Senate Agriculture committee – he also controls the purse strings for agriculture programs as the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and Related Agencies.  Republican Senators continuing their membership on the subcommittee are Arlen Spector (PA), Kit Bond (MO), Mitch McConnell (KY), Conrad Burns (MT), and Larry Craig (ID).  The Senate Democrats have not finalized their selection of members to the subcommittee; however, Senator Herb Kohl (WI) will be the Ranking Member.