Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., has been elected by the House Republican Steering Committee as the next chairman of the House Agriculture Committee.
Thompson, a longtime member of the committee and its current ranking member, will step into the role the same year the farm bill is scheduled to be drafted. He said in a statement that he was "honored" by the appointment.
"The political landscape in Washington may be fractured, but as chairman, I will prioritize the needs of our producers and rural communities — the backbone of this country," Thompson said in a statement. "We will keep our foot on the gas to deliver principled solutions, robust oversight, and a farm bill that is responsive to the needs of the country’s farmers, ranchers, and foresters.”
The committee is currently chaired by Rep. David Scott, D-Ga. In a statement Thursday, Scott said "it has been the honor of a lifetime" to serve as the chairman and wished Thompson "the best" in the new role.
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"I am encouraged by the bipartisan work we have accomplished together, particularly around our shared interest in broadband and access to USDA programs for our new and small producers," Scott said. "Heading into the 2023 Farm Bill, I am hopeful and prayerful that the collegial spirit will continue and that the Agriculture Committee will be able to deliver a farm bill with strong Republican and Democratic bipartisan support."
Thompson will be the first Pennsylvanian to chair the committee since Democrat John L. Dawson, who served in the post from 1853-1855, according to Wikipedia. The committee's first chairman was also from Pennsylvania; Thomas Forrest (1820-21) was a member of the Federalist Party
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