# 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." 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.
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.
It became the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry in 1884, a reflection of the growing importance of forests to the country's needs. 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 | Minority |
| 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, Kansas | Amy 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

| Subcommittees | Chair | Ranking members |
| Commodities, Derivatives, Risk Management, and Trade | Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) | Cory Booker (D-NJ) |
| Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources, and Biotechnology | Roger Marshall (R-KS) | Michael Bennet (D-CO) |
| Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, and Food Safety | John Hoeven (R-ND) | Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) |
| Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research | Mitch McConnell (R-KY) | John Fetterman (D-PA) |
| Rural Development, Energy, and Credit | Joni Ernst (R-IA) | Peter Welch (D-VT) |

## Chairs

The committee, under its various names, has been chaired by the following senators:

### Committee on Agriculture, 1825–1857

| Chair | Party | State | Years |
| William Findlay | Jacksonian | Pennsylvania | 1825-1826 |
| Calvin Willey | Adams | Connecticut | 1826-1827 |
| John Branch | Jacksonian | North Carolina | 1827-1828 |
| Ephraim Bateman | Adams | New Jersey | 1828-1829 |
| Charles D. Bouligny | Adams | Louisiana | 1829 |
| William Marks | Anti-Jackson | Pennsylvania | 1829–1831 |
| Horatio Seymour | Anti-Jackson | Vermont | 1831–1833 |
| Bedford Brown | Jacksonian | North Carolina | 1833–1836 |
| John Page | Jacksonian | New Hampshire | 1836–1837 |
| Perry Smith | Democratic | Connecticut | 1837–1839 |
| Alexander Mouton | Democratic | Louisiana | 1839–1841 |
| Lewis F. Linn | Democratic | Missouri | 1841–1843 |
| William Upham | Whig | Vermont | 1843–1845 |
| Daniel Sturgeon | Democratic | Pennsylvania | 1845–1851 |
| Presley Spruance | Whig | Delaware | 1851 |
| Pierre Soule | Democratic | Louisiana | 1851–1853 |
| Philip Allen | Democratic | Rhode Island | 1853–1857 |

### Committee on Agriculture, 1863–1884

| Chair | Party | State | Years |
| John Sherman | Republican | Ohio | 1863–1864 |
| James H. Lane | Republican | Kansas | 1864-1865 |
| John Sherman | Republican | Ohio | 1865-1867 |
| Simon Cameron | Republican | Pennsylvania | 1867–1871 |
| Oliver Morton | Republican | Indiana | 1871–1872 |
| Frederick T. Frelinghuysen | Republican | New Jersey | 1872–1877 |
| Algernon S. Paddock | Republican | Nebraska | 1877–1879 |
| John Johnston | Democratic | Virginia | 1879–1881 |
| William Mahone | Readjuster/Republican | Virginia | 1881-1883 |
| Warner Miller | Republican | New York | 1883-1884 |

### Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, 1884–1977

| Chair | Party | State | Years |
| Warner Miller | Republican | New York | 1884–1887 |
| Thomas Palmer | Republican | Michigan | 1887–1889 |
| Algernon S. Paddock | Republican | Nebraska | 1889–1893 |
| James Z. George | Democratic | Mississippi | 1893–1895 |
| Redfield Proctor | Republican | Vermont | 1895–1908 |
| Henry C. Hansbrough | Republican | North Dakota | 1908–1909 |
| Jonathan P. Dolliver | Republican | Iowa | 1909–1910 |
| Henry E. Burnham | Republican | New Hampshire | 1911–1913 |
| Thomas P. Gore | Democratic | Oklahoma | 1913–1919 |
| Asle J. Gronna | Republican | North Dakota | 1919–1921 |
| George W. Norris | Republican | Nebraska | 1921–1926 |
| Charles McNary | Republican | Oregon | 1926–1933 |
| Ellison D. Smith | Democratic | South Carolina | 1933–1944 |
| Elmer Thomas | Democratic | Oklahoma | 1944–1947 |
| Arthur Capper | Republican | Kansas | 1947–1949 |
| Elmer Thomas | Democratic | Oklahoma | 1949–1951 |
| Allen J. Ellender | Democratic | Louisiana | 1951–1953 |
| George D. Aiken | Republican | Vermont | 1953–1955 |
| Allen J. Ellender | Democratic | Louisiana | 1955–1971 |
| Herman E. Talmadge | Democratic | Georgia | 1971–1977 |

### Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, 1977–present

| Chair | Party | State | Years |
| Herman E. Talmadge | Democratic | Georgia | 1977–1981 |
| Jesse Helms | Republican | North Carolina | 1981–1987 |
| Patrick Leahy | Democratic | Vermont | 1987–1995 |
| Richard G. Lugar | Republican | Indiana | 1995–2001 |
| Thomas Harkin | Democratic | Iowa | 2001 |
| Richard G. Lugar | Republican | Indiana | 2001 |
| Thomas Harkin | Democratic | Iowa | 2001–2003 |
| Thad Cochran | Republican | Mississippi | 2003–2005 |
| Saxby Chambliss | Republican | Georgia | 2005–2007 |
| Tom Harkin | Democratic | Iowa | 2007–2009 |
| Blanche Lincoln | Democratic | Arkansas | 2009–2011 |
| Debbie Stabenow | Democratic | Michigan | 2011–2015 |
| Pat Roberts | Republican | Kansas | 2015–2021 |
| Debbie Stabenow | Democratic | Michigan | 2021–2025 |
| John Boozman | Republican | Arkansas | 2025–present |

## Historical committee rosters
### 118th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| 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, Pennsylvania | John 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

| Subcommittees | Chair | Ranking members |
| Commodities, Risk Management and Trade | Tina Smith (D-MN) | Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) |
| Conservation, Climate, Forestry, and Natural Resources | Michael Bennet (D-CO) | Roger Marshall (R-KS) |
| Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, Local Food Systems, and Food Safety and Security | Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) | John Hoeven (R-ND) |
| Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research | John Fetterman (D-PA) | Mike Braun (R-IN) |
| Rural Development and Energy | Peter Welch (D-VT) | Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) |

### 117th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| Debbie 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, Georgia | John Boozman, Arkansas, Ranking Member Mitch McConnell, Kentucky John Hoeven, North Dakota Joni Ernst, Iowa Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi Mike Braun, Indiana Chuck Grassley, Iowa John Thune, South Dakota Deb Fischer, Nebraska Roger Marshall, Kansas Tommy Tuberville, Alabama |

#### Subcommittees

| Subcommittees | Chair | Ranking members |
| Commodities, Markets and Trade | Raphael Warnock (D-GA) | John Hoeven (R-ND) |
| Conservation, Forestry and Natural Resources | Michael Bennet (D-CO) | Roger Marshall (R-KS) |
| Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, Local Food Systems, and Food Safety and Security | Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) | Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) |
| Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research | Cory Booker (D-NJ) | Mike Braun (R-IN) |
| Rural Development and Energy | Tina Smith (D-MN) | Joni Ernst (R-IA) |

### 116th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| Pat Roberts, Kansas, Chair Mitch McConnell, Kentucky John Boozman, Arkansas John Hoeven, North Dakota Joni Ernst, Iowa Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi Mike Braun, Indiana David Perdue, Georgia (until January 6, 2020) Chuck Grassley, Iowa John Thune, South Dakota Deb Fischer, Nebraska Kelly Loeffler, Georgia (from January 6, 2020) | Debbie Stabenow, Michigan, Ranking Member Patrick Leahy, Vermont Sherrod Brown, Ohio Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota Michael Bennet, Colorado Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Bob Casey, Pennsylvania Tina Smith, Minnesota Dick Durbin, Illinois |

#### Subcommittees

| Subcommittees | Chair | Ranking members |
| Commodities, Markets and Trade | John Boozman (R-AR) | Sherrod Brown (D-OH) |
| Conservation, Forestry and Natural Resources | Mike Braun (R-IN) | Michael Bennet (D-CO) |
| Livestock, Marketing and Agriculture Security | Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) | Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) |
| Nutrition, Agricultural Research and Specialty Crops | Deb Fischer (R-NE) | Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA) |
| Rural Development and Energy | Joni Ernst (R-IA) | Tina Smith (D-MN) |
Source

### 115th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| Pat Roberts, Kansas, Chair Thad Cochran, Mississippi (until April 1, 2018) Mitch McConnell, Kentucky John Boozman, Arkansas John Hoeven, North Dakota Joni Ernst, Iowa Chuck Grassley, Iowa John Thune, South Dakota Steve Daines, Montana David Perdue, Georgia Deb Fischer, Nebraska Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi (from April 10, 2018) | Debbie Stabenow, Michigan, Ranking Member Patrick Leahy, Vermont Sherrod Brown, Ohio Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota Michael Bennet, Colorado Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Joe Donnelly, Indiana Heidi Heitkamp, North Dakota Bob Casey, Pennsylvania Chris Van Hollen, Maryland (until January 2018) Tina Smith, Minnesota (since January 2018) |

#### Subcommittees

| Subcommittees | Chair | Ranking members |
| Commodities, Markets and Trade | John Boozman (R-AR) | Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) |
| Conservation, Forestry and Natural Resources | Steve Daines (R-MT) | Michael Bennet (D-CO) |
| Livestock, Marketing and Agriculture Security | David Perdue (R-GA) | Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) |
| Nutrition, Agricultural Research and Specialty Crops | Luther Strange (R-AL) | Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA) |
| Rural Development and Energy | Joni Ernst (R-IA) | Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) |

### 114th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| Pat Roberts, Kansas, Chair Thad Cochran, Mississippi Mitch McConnell, Kentucky John Boozman, Arkansas John Hoeven, North Dakota David Perdue, Georgia Joni Ernst, Iowa Thom Tillis, North Carolina Ben Sasse, Nebraska Chuck Grassley, Iowa John Thune, South Dakota | Debbie Stabenow, Michigan, Ranking Member Patrick Leahy, Vermont Sherrod Brown, Ohio Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota Michael Bennet, Colorado Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Joe Donnelly, Indiana Heidi Heitkamp, North Dakota Bob Casey, Pennsylvania |

#### Subcommittees

| Subcommittees | Chair | Ranking members |
| Commodities, Markets and Trade | John Boozman (R-AR) | Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) |
| Conservation, Forestry and Natural Resources | David Perdue (R-GA) | Michael Bennet (D-CO) |
| Livestock, Marketing and Agriculture Security | Ben Sasse (R-NE) | Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) |
| Nutrition, Agricultural Research and Specialty Crops | John Hoeven (R-ND) | Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA) |
| Rural Development and Energy | Joni Ernst (R-IA) | Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) |

### 113th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| Debbie Stabenow, Michigan, Chair Patrick Leahy, Vermont Tom Harkin, Iowa Max Baucus, Montana Sherrod Brown, Ohio Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota Michael Bennet, Colorado Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Joe Donnelly, Indiana Heidi Heitkamp, North Dakota Bob Casey, Pennsylvania | Thad Cochran, Mississippi, Ranking Member Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Pat Roberts, Kansas Saxby Chambliss, Georgia John Boozman, Arkansas John Hoeven, North Dakota Mike Johanns, Nebraska Chuck Grassley, Iowa John Thune, South Dakota |

#### Subcommittees

| Subcommittees | Chair | Ranking members |
| Commodities, Markets and Trade | Joe Donnelly (D-IN) | Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) |
| Conservation, Forestry and Natural Resources | Michael Bennet (D-CO) | John Boozman (R-AR) |
| Livestock, Marketing and Agriculture Security | Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) | Pat Roberts (R-KS) |
| Nutrition, Agricultural Research and Specialty Crops | Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA) | John Hoeven (R-ND) |
| Rural Development and Energy | Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) | Mike Johanns (R-NE) |

### 112th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| Debbie Stabenow, Michigan, Chair Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota Michael Bennet, Colorado Sherrod Brown, Ohio Bob Casey, Pennsylvania Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Ben Nelson, Nebraska Tom Harkin, Iowa Patrick Leahy, Vermont Max Baucus, Montana Kent Conrad, North Dakota | Pat Roberts, Kansas, Ranking Member Mike Johanns, Nebraska Richard Lugar, Indiana Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Chuck Grassley, Iowa Thad Cochran, Mississippi John Thune, South Dakota John Boozman, Arkansas John Hoeven, North Dakota Saxby Chambliss, Georgia |

### 111th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| Blanche Lincoln, Arkansas, Chair Tom Harkin, Iowa Patrick Leahy, Vermont Kent Conrad, North Dakota Max Baucus, Montana Debbie Stabenow, Michigan Ben Nelson, Nebraska Sherrod Brown, Ohio Bob Casey, Pennsylvania Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota Michael Bennet, Colorado Kirsten Gillibrand, New York | Saxby Chambliss, Georgia, Ranking Member Richard Lugar, Indiana Thad Cochran, Mississippi Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Pat Roberts, Kansas Mike Johanns, Nebraska Chuck Grassley, Iowa John Thune, South Dakota John Cornyn, Texas |

### 110th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| Tom Harkin, Iowa, Chair Patrick Leahy, Vermont Kent Conrad, North Dakota Max Baucus, Montana Blanche Lincoln, Arkansas Debbie Stabenow, Michigan Ben Nelson, Nebraska Ken Salazar, Colorado Sherrod Brown, Ohio Bob Casey, Pennsylvania Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota | Saxby Chambliss, Georgia, Ranking Member Richard Lugar, Indiana Thad Cochran, Mississippi Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Pat Roberts, Kansas Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Norm Coleman, Minnesota Mike Crapo, Idaho John Thune, South Dakota Chuck Grassley, Iowa |