Schumer announces Senate Committee assignments

by | Feb 4, 2021 | 5 Ag Stories, News

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced Democratic Committee memberships this week. The announcement appoints Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan as Senate Agriculture Committee Chair. Stabenow also holds membership on the Senate Budget Committee, Finance Committee, along with the Environment and Public Works Committee. Delaware?s Tom Carper will chair the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Schumer also added New Jersey?s Corey Booker, Georgia Raphael Warnock, and Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico.

Booker is a self-described vegan and is critical of large-scale animal agriculture and farm checkoff programs. In 2016, he introduced the Commodity Check-Off Reform Bill. In a press release this week, Booker stated, ?Our food system is deeply broken,? adding, ?Family farmers are struggling, and their farms are disappearing, while big agriculture conglomerates get bigger and enjoy greater profits.?

Pennsylvania?s Bob Casey is leaving the Senate Ag Committee and will chair the Senate Aging Committee.

Senate Republican leaders have yet to announce their committee membership appointments.