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.

House Agriculture Committee

Standing committee
Active United States House of Representatives 119th Congress
History
Formed	May 3, 1820
Leadership
Chair	Glenn Thompson (R) Since January 3, 2023
Ranking member	Angie Craig (D) Since January 3, 2025
Structure
Seats	52
Political parties	Majority (28)   Republican (28) Minority (24)   Democratic (24)
Jurisdiction
Oversight authority	Department of Agriculture
Senate counterpart	Senate Agriculture Committee
Subcommittees
Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit Conservation and Forestry Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research Livestock and Foreign Agriculture
Meeting place
1300 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C.
Website
agriculture.house.gov (Republican) democrats-agriculture.house.gov (Democratic)

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 chair. 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

Members of the 115th Congress House Committee on Agriculture received belt buckles for their service.

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[1] 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[2] Sharice Davids, Kansas Andrea Salinas, Oregon Don Davis, North Carolina Jill Tokuda, Hawaii Nikki Budzinski, Illinois Eric Sorensen, Illinois Gabe Vasquez, New Mexico Jonathan Jackson, Illinois 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[1]	Ranking member[2][3]
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[4]

Minority[5]

Mike Conaway, Texas, Chair Bob Goodlatte, Virginia Frank Lucas, Oklahoma Steve King, Iowa Mike Rogers, Alabama Glenn Thompson, Pennsylvania, Vice Chair 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[6]	Ranking Member[7]
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)[8] Alma Adams, North Carolina, Vice Chair Abigail Spanberger, Virginia Jahana Hayes, Connecticut Antonio Delgado, New York (until May 25, 2022)[9] Shontel Brown, Ohio (since November 4, 2021) Bobby Rush, Illinois Chellie Pingree, Maine Gregorio Sablan, Northern Mariana Islands[a] 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)[10] 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)[11] 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[12]	Ranking Member[13]
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[14]	Ranking Member[15]
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

Name	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

Notes

1. Del. Sablan was an Independent who caucused with the Democratic majority.