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United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry

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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 and health.[#endnote_charter]

Contents

History

Founded in 1825 the Committee was formed at the request of Senator William Findlay, a Republican 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.[#endnote_create]

During the first four decades of the extistence of this committee, the need for it was repeatedly called into question. At that time in America, nearly 2⁄3 of the population was directly engaged in agriculture.[#endnote_twothirds] 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.[#endnote_need]

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."[#endnote_sc] 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.[#endnote_abolish]

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.[#endnote_organic]

It became the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry in 1884, a reflection of the growing importance of forests to the country's needs.[#endnote_forest] 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".[#endnote_nutrition]

Members, The Committee is chaired by Republican Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, and the Ranking Minority Member is Democrat Tom Harkin of Iowa.

Republicans

|- |bgcolor=| |- |bgcolor=| |- |bgcolor=| |- |bgcolor=| |- |bgcolor=| |- |bgcolor=| |- |bgcolor=| |- |bgcolor=| |- |bgcolor=| |- |bgcolor=|
Senator State |- |bgcolor=| C. Saxby Chambliss, Chairman Georgia
Richard Lugar Indiana
Thad Cochran Mississippi
Mitch McConnell Kentucky
Pat Roberts Kansas
James Talent Missouri
Craig Thomas Wyoming
Rick Santorum Pennsylvania
Norm Coleman Minnesota
Mike Crapo Idaho
Charles Grassley Iowa

Democrats

|- |bgcolor=| |- |bgcolor=| |- |bgcolor=| |- |bgcolor=| |- |bgcolor=| |- |bgcolor=| |- |bgcolor=| |- |bgcolor=|
Senator State |- |bgcolor=| Thomas R. Harkin, Ranking Minority Member Iowa
Patrick Leahy Vermont
Kent Conrad North Dakota
Max Baucus Montana
Blanche Lincoln Arkansas
Debbie Stabenow Michigan
Ben Nelson Nebraska
Mark Dayton Minnesota
Ken Salazar Colorado

Subcommittees

The Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry is divided into four subcommittees. Each subcommittee is chaired by a Republican who is not permitted to also chair the full committee. Each subcommittee also has a ranking Democrat opposition leader.[#endnote_sub]

Chairmen

Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, 1829-1857

Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, 1863-1884

Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, 1884-1977

Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, 1977-present

References

  1. ↑ 
  2. ↑  Register of Debates in Congress, December 9, 1825, p. 5
  3. ↑  Register of Debates in Congress, December 9, 1825, p. 6
  4. ↑ 
  5. ↑  Congressional Globe, December 23, 1856, pp. 182-184.
  6. ↑  Journal of the Senate, March 5, 1857, p. 386.
  7. ↑  Daniel J. Boorstin (1973), The Americans: The Democratic Experience p. 119, New York: Vintage Press.
  8. ↑  U.S. Senate (1976). Temporary Select Committee to Study the Senate Committee System, p. 15. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.
  9. ↑ 
  10. ↑ 
  11. ↑ 
  12. ↑ 

External links

Current United States Congressional committees
House
(list) 		Agriculture • Appropriations • Armed Services • Budget • Education and the Workforce • Energy and Commerce • Financial Services • Government Reform • Homeland Security • House Administration • Hurricane Katrina (Select) • Intelligence (Permanent Select) • International Relations • Judiciary • Resources • Rules • Science • Small Business • Standards of Official Conduct • Transportation and Infrastructure • Veterans' Affairs • Ways and Means • (Whole)
Senate
(list) 		Aging (Special) • Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry • Appropriations • Armed Services • Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs • Budget • Commerce, Science and Transportation • Energy and Natural Resources • Ethics (Select) • Environment and Public Works • Finance • Foreign Relations • Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions • Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs • Indian Affairs • Intelligence (Select) • Judiciary • Rules and Administration • Small Business and Entrepreneurship • Veterans' Affairs
Joint (Conference) • Economic • Library • Printing • Taxation  Defunct committees 

 

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