The United States House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture, or Agriculture Committee is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. The House Committee on Agriculture has general jurisdiction over federal agriculture policy and oversight of some federal agencies, and it can recommend funding appropriations for various governmental agencies, programs, and activities, as defined by House rules.
History of the committee
The Agriculture Committee was created on May 3, 1820, after Lewis Williams of North Carolina sponsored a resolution to create the committee and give agricultural issues equal weight with commercial and manufacturing interests. The committee originally consisted of seven members, from the states of Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia. Thomas Forrest of Pennsylvania was the first chairman. The Agriculture Committee remained a seven-member body until 1835, when two more members were added. It was not until 1871 that the next two members were added. Since then it has gradually grown to its current size of 46 members.
The Agriculture Committee is not generally considered to be a particularly powerful one. However, it is an important committee to be on for Representatives from many rural areas where agriculture is the main industry. The committee has jurisdiction over agriculture, forestry, nutrition, water conservation, and other agriculture-related fields.
Jurisdiction
Members of the 115th Congress House Committee on Agriculture received belt buckles for their service.
As prescribed by House Rules, the Committee on Agriculture's jurisdiction includes the following:
Adulteration of seeds, insect pests, and protection of birds and animals in forest reserves
Agriculture generally
Agricultural and industrial chemistry
Agricultural colleges and experiment stations
Agricultural economics and research
Agricultural education extension services
Agricultural production, marketing and stabilization of prices of agricultural products, and commodities (excluding foreign distribution)
Animal industry and diseases of animals
Commodity exchanges
Crop insurance and soil conservation
Dairy industry
Entomology and plant quarantine
Extension of farm credit and farm security
Inspection of livestock, poultry, meat products, and seafood and seafood products
Forestry in general and forest reserves other than those created from the public domain
Human nutrition and home economics
Plant industry, soils, and agricultural engineering
Rural electrification
Rural developments
Water conservation related to activities of the Department of Agriculture
