United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry

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The Committee of 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.[1]

Contents

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.[2]

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.[3] 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.[4]

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."[5] 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.[6]

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.[7]

It became the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry in 1884, a reflection of the growing importance of forests to the country's needs.[8] 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".[9]

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

Majority
Member State
  Thomas R. Harkin, Chairman Iowa
  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
Minority
Member State
  C. Saxby Chambliss, Ranking Member Georgia
  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
  Charles Grassley Iowa

The Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry is divided into five subcommittees.[10]

  1. ^ Committee Jurisdiction. The United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 1825-1998. Retrieved on October 14, 2005.
  2. ^ Register of Debates in Congress, December 9, 1825, p. 5
  3. ^ Register of Debates in Congress, December 9, 1825, p. 6
  4. ^ Chapter 1: The Committee is Created: 1825-1857. The United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 1825-1998. Retrieved on October 14, 2005.
  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. ^ Chapter 7: Borrowing and Credit: 1970-1979. The United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 1825-1998. Retrieved on October 14, 2005.
  10. ^ Subcommittees of the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry. Retrieved on February 14, 2007.
  11. ^ Appendix I: Chairmen of the Committee On Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, 1825 - 1997. The United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 1825-1998. Retrieved on October 14, 2005.

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Current United States Congressional committees
House
(list)		 Agriculture • Appropriations • Armed Services • Budget • Education and Labor • Energy and Commerce • Financial Services • Foreign Affairs • Homeland Security • House Administration • Intelligence (Permanent Select) • Judiciary • Natural Resources • Oversight and Government Reform • Rules • Science and Technology • 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 • Narcotics Control • Rules and Administration • Small Business and Entrepreneurship • Veterans' Affairs
Joint (list)
(Conference) • Economic • Library • Printing • Taxation Defunct committees
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Committee_on_Agriculture%2C_Nutrition_and_Forestry"
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