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.

The current chair is Republican John Boozman of Arkansas, and the ranking member is Democrat Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.

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.

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 two-thirds of the population was directly engaged in agriculture. 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.

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."Congressional Globe, December 23, 1856, pp. 182–184. 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.Journal of the Senate, March 5, 1857, p. 386.

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.Daniel J. Boorstin (1973), The Americans: The Democratic Experience p. 119, New York: Vintage Press.

It became the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry in 1884, a reflection of the growing importance of forests to the country's needs.U.S. Senate (1976). Temporary Select Committee to Study the Senate Committee System, p. 15. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. 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".

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.

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."

Members, 119th Congress

Majority, (119th Congress)Minority (119th Congress)John Boozman, Arkansas, Chair Mitch McConnell, Kentucky John Hoeven, North Dakota Joni Ernst, Iowa Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi Roger Marshall, Kansas Tommy Tuberville, Alabama Jim Justice, West Virginia (from January 14, 2025) Chuck Grassley, Iowa John Thune, South Dakota Deb Fischer, Nebraska Jerry Moran, KansasAmy Klobuchar, Minnesota, Ranking Member Michael Bennet, Colorado Tina Smith, Minnesota Dick Durbin, Illinois Cory Booker, New Jersey Ben Ray Luján, New Mexico Raphael Warnock, Georgia Peter Welch, Vermont John Fetterman, Pennsylvania Adam Schiff, California Elissa Slotkin, Michigan

Subcommittees SubcommitteesChairRanking membersCommodities, Derivatives, Risk Management, and TradeCindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS)Cory Booker (D-NJ)Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources, and BiotechnologyRoger Marshall (R-KS)Michael Bennet (D-CO)Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, and Food SafetyJohn Hoeven (R-ND)Elissa Slotkin (D-MI)Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and ResearchMitch McConnell (R-KY)John Fetterman (D-PA)Rural Development, Energy, and CreditJoni Ernst (R-IA)Peter Welch (D-VT)

Leadership The committee, under its various names, has been chaired by the below.

Committee on Agriculture, 1825–1857 + ChairsNamePartyStateStartEndJacksonianPennsylvania18251826AdamsConnecticut18261827JacksonianNorth Carolina18271828AdamsNew Jersey18281829AdamsLouisiana1829Anti-JacksonPennsylvania18291831Anti-JacksonVermont18311833JacksonianNorth Carolina18331836JacksonianNew Hampshire18361837DemocraticConnecticut18371839DemocraticLouisiana18391841DemocraticMissouri18411843WhigVermont18431845DemocraticPennsylvania18451851On 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 chair (Daniel Sturgeon) and 2nd most senior member of this committee having expired, Presley Spruance has been included as chair on this list.WhigDelaware1851DemocraticLouisiana18511853DemocraticRhode Island18531857 + Ranking membersNamePartyStateStartEndJacksonianNew Hampshire18251826AdamsNew Jersey18261827AdamsConnecticut18271828AdamsPennsylvania18281829JacksonianPennsylvania18291830DemocraticNorth Carolina18301831JacksonianAlabama18311832JacksonianIllinois18321833JacksonianIllinois18331834JacksonianIllinois18341835JacksonianOhio18351836JacksonianPennsylvania18361839DemocraticNorth Carolina18391840DemocraticPennsylvania18401841WhigIndiana18411842DemocraticConnecticut18421843DemocraticIllinois18431845DemocraticTennessee18451847DemocraticNew Hampshire18471849DemocraticWisconsin18491851WhigDelaware18511852WhigOhio18521853DemocraticNew Jersey18531857

Committee on Agriculture, 1863–1884 + ChairsNamePartyStateStartEndRepublicanOhio18631864RepublicanKansas18641865RepublicanOhio18651867RepublicanPennsylvania18671871RepublicanIndiana18711872RepublicanNew Jersey18721877RepublicanNebraska18771879DemocraticVirginia18791881Readjuster/RepublicanVirginia18811883RepublicanNew York18831884 + Ranking membersNamePartyStateStartEndDemocraticKentucky18631865DemocraticKentucky18651868DemocraticKentucky18681871DemocraticWest Virginia18711873DemocraticMaryland18731875DemocraticWest Virginia18751879RepublicanNebraska18791881DemocraticWest Virginia18811883DemocraticMississippi18831884

Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, 1884–1977 + ChairsNamesPartyStateStartEndRepublicanNew York18841887RepublicanMichigan18871889RepublicanNebraska18891893DemocraticMississippi18931895RepublicanVermont18951908RepublicanNorth Dakota19081909RepublicanIowa19091910RepublicanNew Hampshire19111913DemocraticOklahoma19131919RepublicanNorth Dakota19191921RepublicanNebraska19211926RepublicanOregon19261933DemocraticSouth Carolina19331944DemocraticOklahoma19441947RepublicanKansas19471949DemocraticOklahoma19491951DemocraticLouisiana19511953RepublicanVermont19531955DemocraticLouisiana19551971DemocraticGeorgia19711977 + Ranking membersNamePartyStateStartEndDemocraticMississippi18841893RepublicanMichigan18931895DemocraticMississippi18951898DemocraticTennessee18981905DemocraticMississippi19051911DemocraticAlabama19111913RepublicanWyoming19131919DemocraticOklahoma19191921DemocraticSouth Carolina19211933RepublicanNebraska19331943RepublicanKansas19431947DemocraticOklahoma19471949RepublicanVermont19491953DemocraticLouisiana19531955RepublicanVermont19551971RepublicanIowa19711973RepublicanNebraska19731975RepublicanKansas19751977

Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, 1977–present + ChairsNamePartyStateStartEndDemocraticGeorgia19771981RepublicanNorth Carolina19811987DemocraticVermont19871995RepublicanIndiana19952001DemocraticIowa2001At 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 chairs to serve during this period and Republican chairs to serve effective at noon on January 20, 2001.RepublicanIndiana2001DemocraticIowa20012003On 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.RepublicanMississippi20032005RepublicanGeorgia20052007DemocraticIowa20072009DemocraticArkansas20092011DemocraticMichigan20112015RepublicanKansas20152021DemocraticMichigan20212025RepublicanArkansas2025present + Ranking membersNamePartyStateStartEndRepublicanKansas19771979RepublicanNorth Carolina19791981DemocraticNebraska19811985DemocraticNebraska19851987RepublicanNorth Carolina1987RepublicanIndiana19871995DemocraticVermont19951997DemocraticIowa19972001RepublicanMississippi20012003DemocraticIowa20032007RepublicanGeorgia20072011RepublicanKansas20112013RepublicanMississippi20132015DemocraticMichigan20152021RepublicanArkansas20212025DemocraticMinnesota2025present

Historical committee rosters 118th Congress Majority (118th Congress)Minority (118th Congress)Debbie Stabenow, Michigan, Chair 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 Peter Welch, Vermont John Fetterman, PennsylvaniaJohn Boozman, Arkansas, Ranking Member Mitch McConnell, Kentucky John Hoeven, North Dakota Joni Ernst, Iowa Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi Roger Marshall, Kansas Tommy Tuberville, Alabama Mike Braun, Indiana Chuck Grassley, Iowa John Thune, South Dakota Deb Fischer, Nebraska

Subcommittees SubcommitteesChairRanking membersCommodities, Risk Management and TradeTina Smith (D-MN)Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS)Conservation, Climate, Forestry, and Natural ResourcesMichael Bennet (D-CO)Roger Marshall (R-KS)Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, Local Food Systems, and Food Safety and SecurityKirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)John Hoeven (R-ND)Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and ResearchJohn Fetterman (D-PA)Mike Braun (R-IN)Rural Development and EnergyPeter Welch (D-VT)Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)

117th Congress

MajorityMinorityDebbie Stabenow, Michigan, Chair 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, GeorgiaJohn Boozman, Arkansas, Ranking Member Mitch McConnell, Kentucky John Hoeven, North Dakota Joni Ernst, Iowa Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi