Rep. Angie Craig will serve as Ranking Member of the House agriculture committee next year. The Minnesota congresswoman replaces Rep. David Scott as the committee’s top Democrat.

Some Democrats have criticized Scott for not being an effective leader. While he still had plenty of supporters on the committee, he lost a key steering committee vote this week. This prompted him to drop out of the race. Privately, sources say Scott’s advanced age and declining health may have also contributed to his downfall.

Scott’s departure left Craig in a contest against California Congressman Jim Costa. While the votes are supposed to be secret, multiple reports indicate Craig won by a margin of 121 to 91.

In a public statement issued shortly after the vote, she vowed to focus on improving people’s lives. Craig says that as the granddaughter of an Arkansas farm foreman, and as someone who grew up relying on nutrition assistance, she understands firsthand how critical good ag policy is.

“We can lower food and energy costs for consumers,” Craig says. “We can strengthen the farm safety net and open the doors of opportunity to new and beginning farmers. And we can ensure that nutrition assistance programs are available for the Americans who need them.”

Republicans announce new House ag committee members

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The Republican steering committee announced six new members who will serve on the House ag committee next year. They include Washington’s Dan Newhouse, Wisconsin’s Tony Wied, Pennsylvania’s Rob Bresnahan, North Carolina’s Mark Harris, Mark Messmer of Indiana and David Taylor from Ohio. They will join 23 representatives returning for another term on the committee.

“I’m excited to welcome this strong and diverse group of legislators to the House Committee on Agriculture for the 119^th Congress,” Committee Chair Glenn “GT” Thompson says. “This is a pivotal time for our farmers, ranchers and rural communities, so we’ll hit the ground running with rigorous hearings and oversight, all to ensure we deliver legislative victories for rural America and the farm families that guarantee our nation’s food security."

Meet the ag committee members

The following list outlines the Republican members of the House Committee on Agriculture for the 119^th Congress.

Returning members:

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New members: