# United States House Committee on Agriculture

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 chairman. 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

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

| Majority | Minority |
| Glenn Thompson, Pennsylvania, Chair Frank Lucas, Oklahoma Austin Scott, Georgia, Vice Chair 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 Monica De La Cruz, Texas Zach Nunn, Iowa Derrick Van Orden, Wisconsin Dan Newhouse, Washington Tony Wied, Wisconsin Rob Bresnahan, Pennsylvania Mark Messmer, Indiana Mark Harris, North Carolina David Taylor, Ohio | Angie Craig, Minnesota, Ranking Member David Scott, Georgia Jim Costa, California Jim McGovern, Massachusetts Alma Adams, North Carolina Jahana Hayes, Connecticut Shontel Brown, Ohio, Vice Ranking Member Sharice Davids, Kansas Andrea Salinas, Oregon Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Washington Don Davis, North Carolina Jill Tokuda, Hawaii Nikki Budzinski, Illinois Eric Sorensen, Illinois Gabe Vasquez, New Mexico Jonathan Jackson, Illinois Greg Casar, Texas Shri Thanedar, Michigan Adam Gray, California Kristen McDonald Rivet, Michigan Shomari Figures, Alabama Eugene Vindman, Virginia Josh Riley, New York John Mannion, New York April McClain Delaney, Maryland Chellie Pingree, Maine (from February 25, 2025) Salud Carbajal, California (from February 25, 2025) |
Resolutions electing members: H.Res. 13 (Chair), H.Res. 14 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 42 (R), H.Res. 44 (D), H.Res. 162 (D)

## Subcommittees

| Subcommittee | 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

| Majority | Minority |
| Mike Conaway, Texas, Chairman Bob Goodlatte, Virginia Frank Lucas, Oklahoma Steve King, Iowa Mike Rogers, Alabama Glenn Thompson, Pennsylvania, Vice Chairman Bob Gibbs, Ohio Austin Scott, Georgia Rick Crawford, Arkansas Scott DesJarlais, Tennessee Vicky Hartzler, Missouri Jeff Denham, California Doug LaMalfa, California Rodney Davis, Illinois Ted Yoho, Florida Rick Allen, Georgia Mike Bost, Illinois David Rouzer, North Carolina Ralph Lee Abraham, Louisiana Trent Kelly, Mississippi James Comer, Kentucky Roger Marshall, Kansas Don Bacon, Nebraska John Faso, New York Neal Dunn, Florida Jodey Arrington, Texas | Collin Peterson, Minnesota, Ranking Member David Scott, Georgia Jim Costa, California Tim Walz, Minnesota Marcia Fudge, Ohio Jim McGovern, Massachusetts Filemon Vela Jr., Texas, Vice Ranking Member Michelle Lujan Grisham, New Mexico Ann Kuster, New Hampshire Rick Nolan, Minnesota Cheri Bustos, Illinois Sean Patrick Maloney, New York Stacey Plaskett, U.S. Virgin Islands Alma Adams, North Carolina Dwight Evans, Pennsylvania Al Lawson, Florida Tom O'Halleran, Arizona Jimmy Panetta, California Darren Soto, Florida Lisa Blunt Rochester, Delaware |

### 116th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| Collin Peterson, Minnesota, Chair David Scott, Georgia Jim Costa, California Marcia Fudge, Ohio Jim McGovern, Massachusetts Filemon Vela Jr., Texas Stacey Plaskett, U.S. Virgin Islands Alma Adams, North Carolina, Vice Chair Abigail Spanberger, Virginia Jahana Hayes, Connecticut Antonio Delgado, New York TJ Cox, California Angie Craig, Minnesota Anthony Brindisi, New York Josh Harder, California Kim Schrier, Washington Chellie Pingree, Maine Cheri Bustos, Illinois Sean Patrick Maloney, New York Salud Carbajal, California Al Lawson, Florida Tom O'Halleran, Arizona Jimmy Panetta, California Ann Kirkpatrick, Arizona Cindy Axne, Iowa Xochitl Torres Small, New Mexico (since February 27, 2020) | Mike Conaway, Texas, Ranking Member Glenn Thompson, Pennsylvania Austin Scott, Georgia Rick Crawford, Arkansas Scott DesJarlais, Tennessee Vicky Hartzler, Missouri Doug LaMalfa, California Rodney Davis, Illinois Ted Yoho, Florida Rick Allen, Georgia Mike Bost, Illinois David Rouzer, North Carolina Ralph Abraham, Louisiana Trent Kelly, Mississippi James Comer, Kentucky Roger Marshall, Kansas Don Bacon, Nebraska Neal Dunn, Florida Dusty Johnson, South Dakota Jim Baird, Indiana Jim Hagedorn, Minnesota Chris Jacobs, New York (since July 21, 2020) Troy Balderson, Ohio (since July 30, 2020) |

#### Subcommittees

| Subcommittee | Chair | 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

| Majority | Minority |
| 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 Gregorio Sablan, Northern Mariana Islands 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) | 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: H.Res. 9 (Chair), H.Res. 10 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 62 (D), H.Res. 63 (R), H.Res. 92 (D), H.Res. 154 (D), H.Res. 244 (D), H.Res. 311 (R), H.Res. 825 (D), H.Res. 1173 (D), H.Res. 1197 (R), H.Res. 1340 (R)

#### Subcommittees

| 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

| Majority | Minority |
| 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 | 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: H.Res. 14 (Chair), H.Res. 15 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 79 (D), H.Res. 80 (R), H.Res. 164 (D), H.Res. 179 (R), H.Res. 205 (D)

#### Subcommittees

| 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) |

## List of chairs

| Chairman | Party | State | Years |
| Thomas Forrest | Federalist | Pennsylvania | 1820–1821 |
| Josiah Butler | Democratic-Republican | New Hampshire | 1821–1823 |
| Stephen Van Rensselaer | National Republican | New York | 1823–1829 |
| Ambrose Spencer | National Republican | New York | 1829–1831 |
| Erastus Root | Democratic | New York | 1831–1833 |
| Abraham Bockee | Democratic | New York | 1833–1837 |
| Edmund Deberry | Whig | North Carolina | 1837–1845 |
| Joseph H. Anderson | Democratic | New York | 1845–1847 |
| Hugh White | Whig | New York | 1847–1849 |
| Nathaniel S. Littlefield | Democratic | Maine | 1849–1851 |
| John G. Floyd | Democratic | New York | 1851–1853 |
| John L. Dawson | Democratic | Pennsylvania | 1853–1855 |
| David P. Holloway | Opposition | Indiana | 1855–1857 |
| William G. Whiteley | Democratic | Delaware | 1857–1859 |
| Martin Butterfield | Republican | New York | 1859–1861 |
| Owen Lovejoy | Republican | Illinois | 1861–1863 |
| Brutus J. Clay | Union Democratic | Kentucky | 1863–1865 |
| John Bidwell | Republican | California | 1865–1867 |
| Rowland E. Trowbridge | Republican | Michigan | 1867–1869 |
| John Thomas Wilson | Republican | Ohio | 1869–1873 |
| Charles Hays | Republican | Alabama | 1873–1875 |
| John Henry Caldwell | Democratic | Alabama | 1875–1877 |
| Augustus W. Cutler | Democratic | New Jersey | 1877–1879 |
| James W. Covert | Democratic | New York | 1879–1881 |
| Edward K. Valentine | Republican | Nebraska | 1881–1883 |
| William H. Hatch | Democratic | Missouri | 1883–1889 |
| Edward H. Funston | Republican | Kansas | 1889–1891 |
| William H. Hatch | Democratic | Missouri | 1891–1895 |
| James W. Wadsworth | Republican | New York | 1895–1907 |
| Charles F. Scott | Republican | Kansas | 1907–1911 |
| John Lamb | Democratic | Virginia | 1911–1913 |
| Asbury F. Lever | Democratic | South Carolina | 1913–1919 |
| Gilbert N. Haugen | Republican | Iowa | 1919–1931 |
| Marvin Jones | Democratic | Texas | 1931–1941 |
| Hampton P. Fulmer | Democratic | South Carolina | 1941–1945 |
| John W. Flannagan, Jr. | Democratic | Virginia | 1945–1947 |
| Clifford R. Hope | Republican | Kansas | 1947–1949 |
| Harold D. Cooley | Democratic | North Carolina | 1949–1953 |
| Clifford R. Hope | Republican | Kansas | 1953–1955 |
| Harold D. Cooley | Democratic | North Carolina | 1955–1967 |
| William R. Poage | Democratic | Texas | 1967–1975 |
| Thomas S. Foley | Democratic | Washington | 1975–1981 |
| Kika de la Garza | Democratic | Texas | 1981–1995 |
| Pat Roberts | Republican | Kansas | 1995–1997 |
| Robert F. Smith | Republican | Oregon | 1997–1999 |
| Larry Combest | Republican | Texas | 1999–2003 |
| Bob Goodlatte | Republican | Virginia | 2003–2007 |
| Collin Peterson | Democratic | Minnesota | 2007–2011 |
| Frank Lucas | Republican | Oklahoma | 2011–2015 |
| Mike Conaway | Republican | Texas | 2015–2019 |
| Collin Peterson | Democratic | Minnesota | 2019–2021 |
| David Scott | Democratic | Georgia | 2021–2023 |
| Glenn Thompson | Republican | Pennsylvania | 2023–present |