January 9, 2001

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Larry Combest (R-TX) has designated five subcommittee chairmen with jurisdictions reflecting the committee's focus for the107th Congress. The full Committee will begin hearings in early February and March, hearing specific farm commodity program recommendations from producer groups. Combest's goal is to develop legislation meeting the need for permanence and consistency to address the low market prices financially pressuring producers and rural communities.

Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) will chair Department Operations with oversight jurisdiction for special investigations; review and analysis; food stamps, nutrition and consumer programs; forestry in general, forest reserves other than those created from the public domain; plant pesticides, quarantine, adulteration of seeds, and insect pests.

Richard Pombo (R-CA) will chair Livestock and Horticulture with jurisdiction over livestock, dairy, poultry, meat, seafood and seafood products; inspection, marketing, and promotion of such commodities; aquaculture, animal welfare, grazing, fruits and vegetables, marketing and promotion orders.

Terry Everett (R-AL) will chair Specialty Crops and Foreign Agriculture Programs with jurisdiction over peanuts, sugar, tobacco, honey and bees, marketing orders relating to such commodities, foreign agricultural assistance and trade promotion programs, generally.

Frank Lucas (R-OK) will chair Conservation, Credit, Rural Development and Research with jurisdiction over soil, water, and resource conservation; small watershed program; agricultural credit; rural development; rural electrification; energy and biobased energy production; farm security and family farming matters; agricultural research, education and extension services.

Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) will chair General Farm Commodities and Risk Management with jurisdiction over program and markets related to cotton, cottonseed, wheat, feed grains, soybeans, oilseeds, rice, dry beans, peas, lentils; Commodity Credit Corporation; crop insurance; commodity exchanges; biotechnology.