UNITED STATES HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE

(Redirected from U.S. House Committee on Agriculture)
The main hearing room for the House Agriculture Committee in 1300 Longworth House Office Building.

The 'U.S. House Committee on Agriculture', or Agriculture Committee (often referred to as simply "Agriculture", as in "He's on Agriculture") is a Congressional 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. As of 2007, the committee is chaired by Representative Collin C. Peterson (D-Minn.).

Contents
History of the Agriculture Committee
Role of the Agriculture Committee
Jurisdiction
Subcommittees
External Links
See also
External links

History of the Agriculture Committee


The Agriculture Committee was created on 3 May 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 was the first chairman. The United States Senate counterpart to the House Agriculture Committee, the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, was created on 9 December 1825. 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.

Role of the Agriculture 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

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

★ 1) Adulteration of seeds, insect pests, and protection of birds and animals in forest reserves.

★ 2) Agriculture generally.

★ 3) Agricultural and industrial chemistry.

★ 4) Agricultural colleges and experiment stations.

★ 5) Agricultural economics and research.

★ 6) Agricultural education extension services

★ 7) Agricultural production, marketing and stabilization of prices of agricultural products, and commodities (excluding foreign distribution).

★ 8) Animal industry and diseases of animals.

★ 9) Commodity exchanges.

★ 10) Crop insurance and soil conservation.

★ 11) Dairy industry.

★ 12) Entomology and plant quarantine.

★ 13) Extension of farm credit and farm security.

★ 14) Inspection of livestock, poultry, meat products, and seafood and seafood products.

★ 15) Forestry in general and forest reserves other than those created from the public domain.

★ 16) Human nutrition and home economics.

★ 17) Plant industry, soils, and agricultural engineering.

★ 18) Rural electrification.

★ 19) Rural development

★ 20) Water conservation related to activities of the Department of Agriculture.
==Current members, 110th Congress==
Majority Minority

Collin C. Peterson, ''Chairman'', Minnesota
Tim Holden, ''Vice Chair'', Pennsylvania
Mike McIntyre, North Carolina
Bob Etheridge, North Carolina
Leonard Boswell, Iowa
Joe Baca, California
Dennis Cardoza, California
David Scott, Georgia
Jim Marshall, Georgia
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, South Dakota
Henry Cuellar, Texas
Jim Costa, California
John Salazar, Colorado
Brad Ellsworth, Indiana
Nancy Boyda, Kansas
Zack Space, Ohio
Tim Walz, Minnesota
Kirsten Gillibrand, New York
Steve Kagen, Wisconsin
Earl Pomeroy, North Dakota
Lincoln Davis, Tennessee
John Barrow, Georgia
Nick Lampson, Texas
Joe Donnelly, Indiana
Tim Mahoney, Florida

Robert W. Goodlatte, ''Ranking Member'', Virginia
Terry Everett, Alabama
Frank Lucas, Oklahoma
Jerry Moran, Kansas
Robin Hayes, North Carolina
Timothy V. Johnson, Illinois
Sam Graves, Missouri
Jo Bonner, Alabama
Mike D. Rogers, Alabama
Steve King, Iowa
Marilyn Musgrave, Colorado
Randy Neugebauer, Texas
Charles Boustany, Louisiana
Randy Kuhl, New York
Virginia Foxx, North Carolina
Mike Conaway, Texas
Jeff Fortenberry, Nebraska
Jean Schmidt, Ohio
Adrian M. Smith, Nebraska
Kevin McCarthy, California
Tim Walberg, Michigan

Subcommittees


Subcommittee Chair Ranking Member
Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research Tim Holden (D-PA) Frank Lucas (R-OK)
Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry Joe Baca (D-CA) Jo Bonner (R-AL)
General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Bob Etheridge (D-NC) Jerry Moran (R-KS)
Horticulture and Organic Agriculture Dennis Cardoza (D-CA) Randy Neugebauer (R-TX)
Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Leonard Boswell (D-IA) Robin Hayes (R-NC)
Specialty Crops, Rural Development and Foreign Agriculture Mike McIntyre (D-NC) Marilyn Musgrave (R-CA)

External Links



House Agriculture Committee Homepage

See also


External links



Agriculture Committee Homepage

Committee Rules (PDF)

Past Committee Chairs

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