▶ 0:18:27e e
▶ 0:19:28well well good good morning everyone welcome to the uh 119th Congress for the house committee on agriculture as I like to say the original a committee uh this meeting will come to order uh I note that a quorum is present and each member has before them the material on our agenda today at their place on the rostum so good morning and welcome to the organizing meeting of the house committee on agriculture for the 119th Congress
▶ 0:20:01America's agriculture industry is the livelihood is the lifeblood of our nation providing the food the fuel and the clothing that we depend on and while this may be our first meeting the 119th I expect to spend a lot of time together in this hearing room as we work to deliver real solutions for our farm Families Our rural communities and ultimately every American family today we meet during a time of significant chall balance for our farmers and ranchers the farm economy is struggling
▶ 0:20:32under the weight of skyrocketing input costs persistent inflation uh just a tremendous uh uh uh agriculture uh uh trade deficit and Regulatory burdens that stifle Innovation and growth uh Family Farms which are the backbone of our agricultural system are bearing the brunt of these pressures and it's our duty to act swiftly to provide relief the this committee's number one priority for this Congress will be the passage of a
▶ 0:21:02bipartisan 5-year farm bill one that restores the farm safety net prioritizes voluntary locally L and incentive based conservation programs advances our competitiveness through robust Market access and trade promotion opportunities strengthens programs including those in the nutrition title to demand transparency and accountability to the taxpayer and Revitalize rural communities at restore their prosperity second the committee will work with
▶ 0:21:32USDA to prioritize the quick and efficient dispersement of the American Relief act economic aid our Farmers cannot afford any delay there is so much more under the purview of this committee that will re require our attention and action whether it be digital assets or legislation to reduce government bureaucracy and spending and I'm committed to ensuring the voices of our Farmers our ranchers Foresters rural communities and and consumers guide our efforts and before it close I'm thrilled
▶ 0:22:02to welcome a talented group of Agriculture Advocates to the Das first Dan new housee of Washington's fourth district Mr NE housee is a third generation Yakama Valley farmer who previously sett on this committee and recently chaired the Congressional Western caucus did so with distinction and uh so welcome back Dan next we welcome Tony weed from Wisconsin's eighth district with deep roots in the Northeast Wisconsin entrepreneurial spirit and a constituency of dairy
▶ 0:22:32cows uh Tony I'm excited to see that what you what you bring to this committee welcomeing my fellow uh Keystone State Pennsylvanian Rob brahan of the eth district much like my own District Rob Rob's district is filled with a variety of Agriculture goods from uh potatoes to poultry and everything in between northeastern Pennsylvania will have a fighter on their side here and welcome Rob and I'm always pleased to have Mark Harris from North Carolina's
▶ 0:23:038th District Mark's a family man which bodess well for his district did you know that 95% of the farms in Mark's District Are Family Farms those Farms Produce a wide range of goods from tobacco to eggs and everything in between Mark I'm excited to have you on this committee next welcome Dave Taylor from Ohio's second district before his election to Congress Dave was the president of Sardinia Ready Mix Incorporated now don't let that name fool you he was not a sardine
▶ 0:23:34farmer um but he did lead two dozen hardworking Americans and understands firsthand the challenges small businesses face Dave I'm looking forward to seeing how your experience will help us support Farms across our nation and lastly but certainly not least Mark Mesmer of Indiana's eth District while in the Indiana Senate Mark sponsored a bill to ban foreign ownership ship of agriculture land helping to protect Farms across Indiana and preserve our national security Mark
▶ 0:24:05I'm excited to have your leadership and experience in this committee as we work together to support American Agriculture and I'd finally like to recognize a few historic first for our committee in the 117th Congress David Scott of Georgia made history by becoming the first African-American to ever chair the house agriculture committee he has served this committee with distinction as both a chairman and ranking member and over the years we have agreed on some things disagreed on other things but we've always
▶ 0:24:35come together to serve America's agriculture Community he's my brother in Christ and a friend and I speak for all of us when I say thank you for your service also congresswoman Angie Craig of Minnesota was selected by her caucus and as ranking member becoming the first woman to serve as such for the committee she has served in Congress since 2019
▶ 0:25:05and spent that tenure with us on the agriculture committee and I look forward to partnering on issues important to all of us throughout the 119th congratulations Angie the house committee on agriculture reflects the men and women who are the backbone of our great nation it is an honor to serve serve them it'll be an honor to serve with all of you I now yield to the ranking member for an opening statement and introduction of the new democrat
▶ 0:25:36members thank you so much Mr chairman I'm excited to get to work with you and it's been an honor to get to know you even better over the last several weeks as the granddaughter of an Arkansas Farm Foreman I know what it's like to grow up in a farm family agricultures in my blood I have the privilege of representing Minnesota's second congressional district which is fil with corn and soybeans and lotss of turkeys as well my grandfather lost the farm in the 1980s Farm CR crisis and
▶ 0:26:06I saw what losing that meant to him and to my family and to my community so I take what I hear from Farmers and ranchers to heart one thing I hear time and time again from producers is they need certainty and steadiness with that in mind it's critical that we pass a bipartisan farm bill that strengthens the farm safety net and provides opport unities for new and beginning Farmers Mr chairman we've worked well together in the past I spent a great day with you recently at the Pennsylvania
▶ 0:26:37Farm Show that milkshake was everything that you said it would be and of course we sat together at the inauguration on Monday Mr chairman I want to work with you on a new farm bill that keeps Farmers farming and that builds up Rural America and that supports those who rely on USDA programs bipartisan ship is the only way we get this done last year's Bill had some really strong provisions on the farm program side and others that
▶ 0:27:07we think needed a little work it didn't have the votes to pass and right now it doesn't have the votes to pass again I want a different result this Congress I want to build a bill that GT and I can stand together shoulder to shoulder and support but that doesn't take the two of us alone it takes all of us on this committee working together a committee I might add that has a strong history of bipartisanship I would be remiss not to reconciliation
▶ 0:27:38I like my colleagues uh have seen chairman arrington's menu of cuts um bringing those cuts to this committee during a Reconciliation markup I fear would jeopard jeopardize the bipartisan support we all know a farm bill needs in order to pass snap creates demand for food that farmers grow manufacturers package truckers haul and grocery stores sell we need to make sure that we consider all the people that the farm bill serves
▶ 0:28:08and I hope we don't let politics mess that up I'm laser focused on making sure we get a new farm bill that works for America's Family Farmers it's time to get it done I look forward to working with you Mr chairman and all of my colleagues and now I'd love to introduce you to our new Democratic members of the agriculture committee first I'd like to welcome Dr Shri tandar from Michigan to the committee it's been a long he's been a long time advocate for hardworking families in metro
▶ 0:28:38Detroit both as a member of Congress and in the M Michigan State Legislature next it's my pleasure to welcome Adam Gray from California who grew up working in his family's Dairy Supply and Feed Store Adam knows firsthand the impacts that the a supply chain shortages have on the a agriculture Community another new member to the committee from Michigan Kristen McDonald rivet grew up in a small town and was raised in a workingclass household Kristen
▶ 0:29:08is a first generation college student receiving her bachelor's degree from Michigan State University we won't hold that against you and her master's degree at the University of Michigan Flint from the newly formed second district in Alabama I would like to welcome sh Shamari figures Shamari has a long history of Public Service as a White House liaison and as a council for congress where he served as an adviser on issues including civil rights immigration Homeland Security
▶ 0:29:39child welfare and policing taking my friend Abigail spanberger seat I welcome Eugene venman from Virginia to the committee as well Eugene came to America with his father brothers and grandmother when he was just four years old he's a retired US Army Officer and former Deputy legal adviser for the National Security Council I would also like to welcome the new member from New York Josh Riley even though he can't be uh here with us today due
▶ 0:30:09to illness he was hospitalized this week he is here in spirit Josh is a fifth generation Upstate New Yorker who was born and raised in a workingclass neighborhood Josh witnessed firsthand the impact of his community when the local factor is closed and understands the importance of supporting local jobs another new member from New York John Manion represents New York's 22nd congressional district including the communities of Saku uh I'm not going to say all these right
▶ 0:30:39Auburn and Courtland John spent nearly three decades teaching High School science and served as a New York state senator and in that role he fought to boost employment opportunities for individuals with intellectual or de developmental disabilities our last new member April m PL Delaney represents Maryland's six congressional district born and raised in Idaho and the second daughter of an Idaho Potato farmer April knows the importance of supporting
▶ 0:31:09our nation's Farmers as a mother of four like me she's committed to addressing rising cost these outstanding new members join our outstanding returning members and I look forward to working with them as well as all of you across the aisle I yield back Mr chairman and thank thank you so much uh for your warm welcome I thank the general lady uh one last uh introduction uh before we proceed I I think uh we as members are all
▶ 0:31:40um so appreciative of our staff and uh the hardworking staff their dedication their commitment uh to the committee uh we have uh a a fairly new uh addition most recent addition to the committee staff and so I want to take this opportunity to recognize the committee's new Chief Clerk Jackson blet uh Jackson comes to us from the Senate agriculture committee uh and we won't hold that against them actually I think it it just shows good
▶ 0:32:10discernment he came to the house I'll leave it at that you also work for the clerk's office and the previous two inauguration committees and Jackson Hills from upstate New York and we are happy to have them here welcome with that we'll move ahead with our business that we have does a ranking member seek recognition to offer a motion yes Mr chairman I move that the chairman in consultation with the ranking member be authorized
▶ 0:32:40to act for the committee in matters affecting staff and administration of the committee is there a discussion on the motion if not all those in favor of the motion say I I those opposed nay the eyes have it and the motion is adopted the next item of business is the committee rules for the 119th Congress in front of each member on the Das as an on block Amendment with changes to the rules of the 118th Congress and now
▶ 0:33:10recognize the ranking member for a further motion Mr chairman I move that the committee approve the committee rules for the 119th Congress which are the rules that were were in effect during the 118th congress with changes in the on block amendment is there any discussion on the motion if not all those in favor the motion say I I all those oppose nay the eyes appear to have it and the motion is adopted without objection pursuant to house rule
▶ 0:33:4011 Clause 2A the rules of the committee on agriculture for the 119th Congress will be submitted to the house for publication in the Congressional Record pursuant to rule 10 of clause nine there is at each member spot a copy of the majority minority and nonpartisan and committee staff assignments that without objection will be adopted by the committee seeing no objection so ordered next item of business the adoption of of the authorization
▶ 0:34:10and oversight plan pursuant to rule 10 Clause 2d1 of the house the committee must adopt an authorized authorization and oversight plan and submit a copy simultaneously to the committee on house oversight and accountability the committee on house administration and the committee on Appropriations no later than March one I'd like to note that this plan has been prepared in coordination with the ranking member and has was made available to member staffs
▶ 0:34:40for review does any member wish to be recognize to discuss the authorization and oversight plan seeing none without objection the committee authorization and oversight plan for the 119th Congress is adopted and will be forwarded to the respective committees as required by house roles without objection the usual instructions are given to staff that consist of making such technical clarifying or conforming changes as
▶ 0:35:10are appropriate without changing the substance of the text including but not limited to formatting punctuation and capitalization seeing no further matters on the agenda the committee will now adjourn subject to the call of the chair thank you everybody thank you chair