Angie Craig to lead House agriculture committee DemocratsAngie Craig to lead House agriculture committee Democrats

House Republicans also announce new ag committee members.

Joshua Baethge, Policy editor

December 18, 2024

2 Min Read
Angie Craig was selected to lead the Democrats on the House agriculture committee
Getty Images/Win McNamee

Rep. Angie Craig will serve as ranking member of the House agriculture committee next year. The Minnesota congresswoman replaces Rep. David Scott (D., Ga.) as the committee’s top Democrat.

Some Democrats have criticized Scott for not being an effective leader. While he still had plenty of supporters on the committee, he lost a key steering committee vote this week. This prompted him to drop out of the race. Privately, sources say Scott’s advanced age and declining health may have also contributed to his downfall.

Scott’s departure left Craig in a contest against California Congressman Jim Costa. While the votes are supposed to be secret, multiple reports indicate Craig won by a margin of 121 to 91.

In a public statement issued shortly after the vote, she vowed to focus on improving people’s lives. Craig says that as the granddaughter of an Arkansas farm foreman, and as someone who grew up relying on nutrition assistance, she understands firsthand how critical good ag policy is.

“We can lower food and energy costs for consumers,” Craig says. “We can strengthen the farm safety net and open the doors of opportunity to new and beginning farmers. And we can ensure that nutrition assistance programs are available for the Americans who need them.”

Related:Congress entreats USDA to protect chicken exports as part of bird flu strategy

Republicans announce new House ag committee members

The Republican steering committee announced six new members who will serve on the House ag committee next year. They include Washington’s Dan Newhouse, Wisconsin’s Tony Wied, Pennsylvania’s Rob Bresnahan, North Carolina’s Mark Harris, Mark Messmer of Indiana and David Taylor from Ohio. They will join 23 representatives returning for another term on the committee.

“I’m excited to welcome this strong and diverse group of legislators to the House Committee on Agriculture for the 119th Congress,” Committee Chair Glenn “GT” Thompson says. “This is a pivotal time for our farmers, ranchers and rural communities, so we’ll hit the ground running with rigorous hearings and oversight, all to ensure we deliver legislative victories for rural America and the farm families that guarantee our nation’s food security."

Meet the ag committee members

The following list outlines the Republican members of the House Committee on Agriculture for the 119th Congress.

Returning members:

  • Rep. Glenn "GT" Thompson (PA-15), Chairman

  • Rep. Frank Lucas (OK-03)

  • Rep. Austin Scott (GA-08)

  • Rep. Rick Crawford (AR-01)

  • Rep. Michael Bost (IL-12)

  • Rep. Scott DesJarlais (TN-04)

  • Rep. Doug LaMalfa (CA-01)

  • Rep. David Rouzer (NC-07)

  • Rep. Trent Kelly (MS-01)

  • Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02)

  • Rep. Dusty Johnson (SD-AL)

  • Rep. Jim Baird (IN-04)

  • Rep. Tracey Mann (KS-01)

  • Rep. Randy Feenstra (IA-04)

  • Rep. Mary Miller (IL-15)

  • Rep. Barry Moore (AL-02)

  • Rep. Kat Cammack (FL-03)

  • Rep. Brad Finstad (MN-01)

  • Rep. Monica De La Cruz (TX-15)

  • Rep. Ronny Jackson (TX-13)

  • Rep. John Rose (TN-06)

  • Rep. Zach Nunn (IA-03)

  • Rep. Derrick Van Orden (WI-03)

Related:Senate confirms Brooke Rollins to lead USDA

New members:

  • Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04)

  • Rep. Tony Wied (WI-08)

  • Rep. Rob Bresnahan (PA-08)

  • Rep. Mark Harris (NC-08)

  • Rep. Mark Messmer (IN-08)

  • Rep. David Taylor (OH-02)

About the Author

Joshua Baethge

Policy editor, Farm Progress

Joshua Baethge covers a wide range of government issues affecting agriculture. Before joining Farm Progress, he spent 10 years as a news and feature reporter in Texas. During that time, he covered multiple state and local government entities, while also writing about real estate, nightlife, culture and whatever else was the news of the day.

Baethge earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of North Texas. In his free time, he enjoys going to concerts, discovering new restaurants, finding excuses to be outside and traveling as much as possible. He is based in the Dallas area where he lives with his wife and two kids.

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