U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell revealed this week he will chair the Senate Agricultural Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research in this 119th Congress.
This group is one of five under the authority of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and will allow McConnell to drive the narrative on federal agriculture research, specialty crop policy, and the nation’s nutrition assistance programs.
Joining McConnell as ranking member is Senator Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico.
The other four groups are:
+ The Subcommittee on Commodities, Derivatives, Risk Management and Trade, which oversees commodity programs, derivatives and digital assets, crop insurance, and agricultural trade. Its leadership: Chairwoman Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi and Ranking Member Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey.
+ The Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, which oversees rural development loan and grant programs, renewable energy, and farm loan programs. Its leadership: Chairwoman Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa, and Ranking Member Senator Peter Welch of Vermont.
+ The Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources, and Biotechnology, which oversees conservation programs, forest management, natural resources, pesticides, and agricultural biotechnology. Its leadership: Chairman Roger Marshall of Kansas, and Ranking Member Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado.
+ And the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, and Food Safety, which oversees livestock, poultry and dairy production, marketing, food safety, and security. Its leadership: Chairman Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota, and Ranking Member Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan.
Alongside Ranking Member Senator Amy Klobuchar, of Minnesota, and Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and Arkansas Senator John Boozman noted the subcommittee leaders will play important roles in crafting the farm bill, hoping to “provide the tools and resources farmer, ranchers and rural communities need in these challenging times.”
McConnell specifically noted that Kentucky’s universities are “leaders in agricultural research today,” while University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto called McConnell’s current and previous leadership “stalwart” in protecting and promoting agriculture over many decades.
His subcommittee will have jurisdiction over topics like domestic and international nutrition, food assistance, hunger prevention, school and child nutrition programs, local and healthy food initiatives, futures, options, derivatives, pesticides and other general legislation.
Also during the 119th Congress, McConnell will serve as chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, as well as the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.
