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The current chair is Democrat Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, and the ranking member is Republican John Boozman of Arkansas.
History
Founded in 1825 the committee was formed at the request of SenatorWilliam 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."
^ "Jurisdiction". The United States Senate Committee On Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry. Retrieved May 31, 2019. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
On 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 chairman (Daniel Sturgeon) and 2nd most senior member of this committee
having expired, Presley Spruance has been included as chairman on this list.
At 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 chairmen to serve during this period and
Republican chairmen to serve effective at noon on January 20, 2001.
On 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.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.