At least 14 agriculture committee members are leaving Congress, raising concerns over the farm bill, USDA funding and the future of U.S. farm policy.

At least 14 members of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees are leaving Congress, setting up a major leadership change as lawmakers prepare for the November midterm elections. The departures, driven by retirements, primary defeats and campaigns for other offices, come as Congress faces negotiations over the farm bill, USDA funding and federal agricultural programs. The new congressional session begins January 3, 2027.

An analysis by agricultural lobbying firm Invariant identifies 86 House members and 16 senators departing Congress, with additional losses possible after Election Day. The turnover could affect negotiations over crop insurance, commodity support programs, conservation funding and rural development. For farmers and agricultural organizations, the main concern is how the incoming leadership will approach legislation affecting production costs, farm income and federal assistance.

Agriculture Committees Face Major Turnover in Congress

The House Agriculture Committee is losing several experienced members, including its top Democrat, Angie Craig of Minnesota, who lost her Senate primary. Her departure creates a leadership vacancy at a time when lawmakers must negotiate agricultural spending and the next farm bill. Republicans Randy Feenstra of Iowa and Dusty Johnson of South Dakota also lost their gubernatorial primary campaigns, while Don Bacon of Nebraska and Dan Newhouse of Washington are retiring.

Newhouse's departure is particularly relevant to specialty-crop producers because of his work on agricultural labor reform, an issue affecting farms that depend on seasonal workers. Other members leaving the House include Shri Thanedar of Michigan, who lost his primary, and Republicans Barry Moore of Alabama and John Rose of Tennessee, who are seeking other offices. Their exits will bring new lawmakers into discussions over agricultural policy and federal spending.

The final composition of the committee will depend partly on competitive House elections. According to the Cook Political Report, Zach Nunn of Iowa, Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin, Don Davis of North Carolina, Rob Bresnahan of Pennsylvania, Monica De La Cruz of Texas and David Valadao of California face closely contested races. Their districts include important agricultural regions, with interests ranging from corn and soybeans to dairy, livestock and specialty crops.

Changes are also coming to the Senate Agriculture Committee, where Republicans Joni Ernst of Iowa and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, along with Democrats Dick Durbin of Illinois and Tina Smith of Minnesota, are retiring. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota are running for governor, while Roger Marshall of Kansas faces a competitive reelection campaign. The departures could alter committee priorities and the negotiations required to advance agricultural legislation.

Farm Bill and USDA Funding Become Key Tests for New Congress

The leadership changes coincide with pending decisions on the farm bill and fiscal year 2027 agricultural appropriations. Congress must determine funding levels for the USDA, rural development, agricultural research and other federal programs. These negotiations directly affect producers through crop insurance, commodity programs, conservation assistance and investments in rural infrastructure, making the committee's future leadership particularly important.

The next Congress will also confront economic concerns affecting American agriculture, including volatile commodity prices, elevated input costs and pressure on farm profitability. Farm organizations are expected to continue advocating for stronger risk-management programs and reliable federal support. The outcome of budget negotiations could influence producers' financial planning, access to assistance and investment decisions for upcoming growing seasons.

Several lawmakers outside the agriculture committees are also departing. Senators Steve Daines of Montana, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming and Thom Tillis of North Carolina represent states with substantial livestock, grain, poultry and pork production. In the House, the retirement of Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington of Texas could affect federal spending negotiations, while Sam Graves of Missouri leaves with experience in transportation and rural infrastructure policy.

The departure of Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who supported regenerative agriculture legislation, adds to the loss of lawmakers involved in specialized farm-policy issues. Ryan Zinke of Montana and Mark Amodei of Nevada are also retiring, leaving vacancies in districts where ranching, federal land management and natural resources are important economic concerns. Their successors will inherit policy debates affecting agricultural production and rural communities.

House Republicans are scheduled to hold leadership elections on November 10, while Democrats are expected to make their leadership decisions later. The November midterms will determine how many additional agriculture committee members lose their seats and which party controls the legislative agenda when the 120th Congress convenes on January 3, 2027.

For the agricultural sector, the immediate priority will be whether the new congressional leadership can reach agreements on the farm bill, USDA appropriations and programs supporting farm profitability. With experienced lawmakers departing both chambers, agricultural organizations, cooperatives and producers will need to establish relationships with new committee members as Congress sets its policy agenda for 2027.

Source - https://www.agrolatam.com