View source for United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry

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]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Committee Jurisdiction | work=The United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 1825-1998 | url=http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/senate/sen_agriculture/gjurisdi.html | accessdate=October 14 | accessyear=2005}}</ref>

==History==
Founded in 1825 the Committee was formed at the request of [[United States Senate|Senator]] [[William Findlay]] from [[Pennsylvania]]. Arguing that agriculture was as important to national progress as [[commerce]] and [[manufacturing]], Findlay succeeded in persuading the full [[United States Senate|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]].<ref>''Register of Debates in Congress'', December 9, 1825, p. 5</ref>

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 
<sup>2</sup>⁄<sub>3</sub> of the population was directly engaged in agriculture.<ref>''Register of Debates in Congress'', December 9, 1825, p. 6</ref>  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.<ref>{{cite web | title=Chapter 1: The Committee is Created: 1825-1857 | work=The United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 1825-1998 | url=http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/senate/sen_agriculture/ch1.html | accessdate=October 14 | accessyear=2005}}</ref>

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."<ref>''Congressional Globe'', December 23, 1856, pp. 182-184.</ref> 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.<ref>''Journal of the Senate'', March 5, 1857, p. 386.</ref>

In [[1862]], the country was embroiled in the [[American Civil War|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.<ref>Daniel J. Boorstin (1973), ''The Americans: The Democratic Experience'' p. 119, New York: Vintage Press.</ref> 

It became the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry in [[1884]], a reflection of the growing importance of forests to the country's needs.<ref>U.S. Senate (1976). <u>Temporary Select Committee to Study the Senate Committee System</u>, p. 15. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.</ref> 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 [[United States Department of Agriculture|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".<ref>{{cite web | title=Chapter 7: Borrowing and Credit: 1970-1979 | work=The United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 1825-1998 | url=http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/senate/sen_agriculture/ch7.html | accessdate=October 14 | accessyear=2005}}</ref>

==Members, [[110th United States Congress|110th Congress]]==
The Committee is chaired by [[United States Democratic Party|Democrat]] [[Tom Harkin]] of [[Iowa]], and the [[Ranking member|Ranking Minority Member]] is [[United States Republican Party|Republican]] [[Saxby Chambliss]] of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]].

{|
| valign=top |
{| class=wikitable
! colspan=3 | Majority
|-
! colspan=2 | Member
! State
{{American politics/party colours/Democratic/row}}
| [[Tom Harkin|Thomas R. Harkin]], ''Chairman''
| [[Iowa]]
|-
{{American politics/party colours/Democratic/row}}
| [[Patrick Leahy]]
| [[Vermont]]
|-
{{American politics/party colours/Democratic/row}}
| [[Kent Conrad]]
| [[North Dakota]]
|-
{{American politics/party colours/Democratic/row}}
| [[Max Baucus]]
| [[Montana]]
|-
{{American politics/party colours/Democratic/row}}
| [[Blanche Lincoln]]
| [[Arkansas]]
|-
{{American politics/party colours/Democratic/row}}
| [[Debbie Stabenow]]
| [[Michigan]]
|-
{{American politics/party colours/Democratic/row}}
| [[Ben Nelson]]
| [[Nebraska]]
|-
{{American politics/party colours/Democratic/row}}
| [[Ken Salazar]]
| [[Colorado]]
|-
{{American politics/party colours/Democratic/row}}
| [[Sherrod Brown]]
| [[Ohio]]
|-
{{American politics/party colours/Democratic/row}}
| [[Bob Casey, Jr.| Bob Casey]]
| [[Pennsylvania]]
|-
{{American politics/party colours/Democratic/row}}
| [[Amy Klobuchar]]
| [[Minnesota]]
|}
| valign=top |
{| class=wikitable
! colspan=3 | Minority
|-
! colspan=2 | Member
! State
{{American politics/party colours/Republican/row}}
| [[Saxby Chambliss|C. Saxby Chambliss]], ''Ranking Member''
| [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]
|-
{{American politics/party colours/Republican/row}}
| [[Richard Lugar]]
| [[Indiana]]
|-
{{American politics/party colours/Republican/row}}
| [[Thad Cochran]]
| [[Mississippi]]
|-
{{American politics/party colours/Republican/row}}
| [[Mitch McConnell]]
| [[Kentucky]]
|-
{{American politics/party colours/Republican/row}}
| [[Pat Roberts]]
| [[Kansas]]
|-
{{American politics/party colours/Republican/row}}
| [[Lindsey Graham]]
| [[South Carolina]]
|-
{{American politics/party colours/Republican/row}}
| [[Norm Coleman]]
| [[Minnesota]]
|-
{{American politics/party colours/Republican/row}}
| [[Mike Crapo]]
| [[Idaho]]
|-
{{American politics/party colours/Republican/row}}
| [[John Thune]]
| [[South Dakota]]
|-
{{American politics/party colours/Republican/row}}
| [[Charles Grassley]]
| [[Iowa]]
|-
|}

|}

== Subcommittees ==
The Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry is divided into five subcommittees. <ref>{{cite web | title=Subcommittees of the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee | work=Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry | url=http://agriculture.senate.gov/sub.htm | accessdate=February 14 | accessyear=2007}}</ref>

* [[United States Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition and Food Assistance, Sustainable and Organic Agriculture, and General Legislation|Nutrition and Food Assistance, Sustainable and Organic Agriculture, and General Legislation]]
* [[United States Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Energy, Science and Technology|Energy, Science and Technology]]
* [[United States Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Domestic and Foreign Marketing, Inspection, and Plant and Animal Health|Domestic and Foreign Marketing, Inspection, and Plant and Animal Health]]
* [[United States Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Production, Income Protection and Price Support|Production, Income Protection and Price Support]]
* [[United States Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Revitalization, Conservation, Forestry and Credit|Rural Revitalization, Conservation, Forestry and Credit]]

==Chairmen<ref>{{cite web | title=Appendix I: Chairmen of the Committee On Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, 1825 - 1997 | work=The United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 1825-1998 | url=http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/senate/sen_agriculture/append1a.html | accessdate=October 14 | accessyear=2005}}</ref>==
===Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, 1829-1857===
*[[William Marks (Pennsylvania)|William Marks]] (NR-PA) 1829-1831
*[[Horatio Seymour]] (NR-VT) 1831-1833
*[[Bedford Brown]] (D-NC) 1833-1836
*[[John Page (New Hampshire)|John Page]] (D-NH) 1836-1837
*[[Perry Smith (U.S. Congressman)|Perry Smith]] (D-CT) 1837-1839
*[[Alexander Mouton]] (D-LA) 1839-1841
*[[Lewis F. Linn]] (D-MO) 1841-1843
*[[William Upham]] (W-VT) 1843-1845
*[[Daniel Sturgeon]] (D-PA) 1845-1851
*[[Pierre Soulé]] (D-LA) 1851-1853
*[[Philip Allen]] (D-RI) 1853-1857

===Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, 1863-1884===
*[[John Sherman]] (R-OH) 1863-1867
*[[Simon Cameron]] (R-PA) 1867-1871
*[[Oliver P. Morton]] (R-IN) 1871-1872
*[[Frederick T. Frelinghuysen]] (R-NJ) 1872-1877
*[[Algernon S. Paddock]] (R-NE) 1877-1879
*[[John Johnston]] (D-VA) 1879-1881
*[[William Mahone]] (R-VA) 1881-1883
*[[Warner Miller]] (R-NY) 1883-1884

===Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, 1884-1977===
*[[Warner Miller]] (R-NY) 1884-1887
*[[Thomas W. Palmer]] (R-MI) 1887-1889
*[[Algernon S. Paddock]] (R-NE) 1889-1893
*[[James Z. George]] (D-MS) 1893-1895
*[[Redfield Proctor]] (R-VT) 1895-1908
*[[Henry C. Hansbrough]] (R-ND) 1908-1909
*[[Jonathan P. Dolliver]] (R-IA) 1909-1910
*[[Henry E. Burnham]] (R-NH) 1911-1913
*[[Thomas P. Gore]] (D-OK) 1913-1919
*[[Asle J. Gronna]] (R-ND) 1919-1921
*[[George W. Norris]] (R-NE) 1921-1926
*[[Charles McNary]] (R-OR) 1926-1933
*[[Ellison D. Smith]] (D-SC) 1933-1944
*[[Elmer Thomas]] (D-OK) 1944-1947
*[[Arthur Capper]] (R-KS) 1947-1949
*[[Elmer Thomas]] (D-OK) 1949-1951
*[[Allen J. Ellender]] (D-LA) 1951-1953
*[[George D. Aiken]] (R-VT) 1953-1955
*[[Allen J. Ellender]] (D-LA) 1955-1971
*[[Herman E. Talmadge]] (D-GA) 1971-1977

===Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, 1977-present===
*[[Herman E. Talmadge]] (D-GA) 1977-1981
*[[Jesse Helms]] (R-NC) 1981-1987
*[[Patrick Leahy]] (D-VT) 1987-1995
*[[Richard G. Lugar]] (R-IN) 1995-2001
*[[Thomas R. Harkin]] (D-IA) 2001
*[[Richard G. Lugar]] (R-IN) 2001
*[[Thomas R. Harkin]] (D-IA) 2001-2003
*[[Thad Cochran]] (R-MS) 2003-2005
*[[Saxby Chambliss]] (R-GA) 2005-2007
*[[Thomas R. Harkin]] (D-IA) 2007-present

==References==
{{reflist|2}}
<!-- Dead note "members": {{cite web | title=Senators of the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee | work=Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry | url=http://agriculture.senate.gov/sen.htm | accessdate=October 14 | accessyear=2005}} -->

== External links ==
* [http://agriculture.senate.gov/ Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee]
* [http://www.cftc.gov/cftc/cftchome.htm Commodity Futures Trading Commission]
* [http://www.fca.gov/ Farm Credit Administration]

{{USCongressCommittees}}

[[Category:Committees of the United States Senate|Agriculture]]
[[Category:Agriculture in the United States|Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry]]
[[Category:Nutrition]]
[[Category:Health in the United States]]
{{WikiDoc Sources}}