New leaders could shift House, Senate Ag Committee priorities in 2027

An ag policy consultant and former U.S. Senator say they’re interested to see who is selected to lead the U.S. House and Senate Ag Committees and shape ag policy in the new Congress.

Mary Kay Thatcher says for the Senate Ag Committee, she says there are two names that come to mind for a new majority leader.

“It will be either Sherrod Brown or Michael Bennet.”

She says seniority would put Bennet from Colorado at the top of the list. Forestry, conservation, and livestock could become higher priorities if Bennet is selected.

Former U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly says both lawmakers understand farming.

“They’re both extraordinarily talented, very hardworking, dedicated to the ag community and very farmer oriented,” he says.

In the House Ag Committee, Representative Shontel Brown from Ohio is expected to be selected. Thatcher says she represents a district without farmers, but has been doing the work to understand agriculture.

“I think she’ll have a very unique position to be able to try to pull ag and nutrition together. Now, Jim Costa from California has also thrown his hat in the race, but remember he did that a few years ago, too, and was not successful.”

John Boozman from Arkansas is likely to return as the Republican leader in the Senate Ag Committee and G.T. Thompson from Pennsylvania, the Republican leader in the House Ag Committee, has termed out of leadership, but recently requested a waiver to continue serving in the role.