House Agriculture Sets Committee Agenda as Farm Bill Approaches

On February 7^th the House Agriculture panel finalized its subcommittee leadership, putting leaders in place to oversee this year’s farm bill. Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pa.) said he plans to hold the first official House Agriculture hearing at the end of the month. Hearing topics will be “the state of American agriculture — the headwinds, the difficulties that American farmers, ranchers, foresters are facing.” “Inflation, diesel fuel costs, available fertilizer, the demonizing of crop protection tools,” he added as examples of what the hearing will bring up.

The committee met Wednesday February 8^th for an organizational introductory meeting. Ranking member David Scott (D-Ga.) also announced the Democratic panel leaders, following Thompson’s announcement of subcommittee chairmen. Rep. Brad Finstad (R-Minn.) will lead the Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture Subcommittee, which is likely to be a flashpoint of debate as the committee writes the nutrition assistance section of the farm bill. Many Republicans want to tighten work requirements under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, to save money, while Democrats resist cuts to nutrition programs. Rep. Jahana Hayes, a Connecticut Democrat, will serve as ranking member.

The nutrition panel’s purview has shifted slightly since the House majority flipped — it was previously called the Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations Subcommittee. The House panel that handles cryptocurrency policy is now called the Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development Subcommittee, giving it an explicit crypto focus as Agriculture Committee lawmakers call for better asset regulation. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), a committee veteran, will lead that panel and freshman Rep. Yadira Caraveo (D-Colo.) will be ranking member.

Other subcommittee leaders include:

• Reps. Austin Scott (R-Ga.) and Shontel Brown (D-Ohio) on the General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit panel
• Reps. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) and Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.) on the Forestry panel
• Reps. Jim Baird (R-Ind.) and Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) on the Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology panel
• Reps. Tracey Mann (R-Kan.) and Jim Costa (D-Calif.) on the Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry panel