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.

History
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.

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. 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".

Members, 110th Congress
The Committee is chaired by Democrat Tom Harkin of Iowa, and the Ranking Minority Member is Republican Saxby Chambliss of Georgia.

Subcommittees
The Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry is divided into five subcommittees.


 * Nutrition and Food Assistance, Sustainable and Organic Agriculture, and General Legislation
 * Energy, Science and Technology
 * Domestic and Foreign Marketing, Inspection, and Plant and Animal Health
 * Production, Income Protection and Price Support
 * Rural Revitalization, Conservation, Forestry and Credit

==Chairmen ==

Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, 1829-1857

 * William Marks (NR-PA) 1829-1831
 * Horatio Seymour (NR-VT) 1831-1833
 * Bedford Brown (D-NC) 1833-1836
 * John Page (D-NH) 1836-1837
 * 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