Committee InfoDescriptionHello Representatives and welcome to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry! Our committee is responsible for all issues falling within the realm of agriculture, farming, forestry, logging, and nutritional health. Legislation has been passed on specific matters such as food stamp programs, pests and pesticides, home economics, rural development and animal industry and diseases.Led by Chairman Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Ranking Member Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), the committee consists of 21 senators, 12 of which are democrats. To ensure that each aspect of the committee’s duties are thoroughly covered, it is divided into five subcommittees: Domestic and Foreign Marketing, Inspection, and Plant and Animal Health; Energy, Science and Technology; Hunger, Nutrition, and Family Farms; Production, Income Protection and Price Support; and Rural Revitalization, Conservation, Forestry, and Credit. Agriculture has historically been an integral part of the American economy, ever since it was established as a colony for the purposes of producing raw materials. There was debate in the nineteenth century about how a committee on agriculture would fit into the Senate. Finally, it was argued that because the Senate already had a Committee on Commerce and Manufactures, it would be necessary to also have a freestanding Committee on Agriculture so that all components of the economy were equally represented. It was determined that agricultural interests were a distinct entity from commerce. Even though Commerce, Manufacture, and Agriculture are dealt with separately today, together, they comprised a “three-legged stool” of the economy. Recently, the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 was passed marking one of the most significant achievements in farm legislation. In the United States alone, almost 38 million Americans struggle to find adequate nutritious food and more that 13 million are children living in households that are without healthy food. The farm bill has more than half of its budget allocated towards nutrition initiatives to alleviate food insecurity in America. The bill also stipulates that the government will continue to make investments to help small businesses and entrepreneurs to increase service to rural areas. Lastly, the recently passed farm bill provides safety measures to ensure that farmers who produce traditional crops can compete in the global market. It is clear that the committee plays an more important role in our daily lives. We, your co-chairs, look forward to continuing the spirit of constructive dialogue and cooperation at the 2009 Penn Model Congress. Because our committee’s jurisdiction is so broad, representatives have much flexibility with regard to proposing legislation to the committee. There are numerous examples of issues facing the Committee on the Committee’s website: http://ag.senate.gov/site/index.html. We encourage you to research a range of issues and propose a bill that you find interesting and one you believe will stimulate constructive debate. ----------------- Hey, my name is Ranee Shah, and I will be one of your co-chairs. This will be my third year chairing for Penn Model Congress, and my seventh year participating in the Model Congress Club. I am from Stroudsburg, PA (the Poconos), and I am a Biology major and Brain Basis of Behavior/Healthcare Management minor with intentions to attend medical school. Here at Penn, I work in a microbiology lab and I am a member of the Wharton Healthcare Club and J. Morgan Society where I get a chance to volunteer as well as participate in medical-oriented activities. Hi, my name is Mansi Kothari, and although I have never participated in Model Congress before, I am excited to be involved in it this year. I am a sophomore from Scarsdale, NY, and I am prospectively double majoring in Economics and Anthropology, with a concentration in Global Health. I participate in several community service, global health, and Asian American awareness groups on campus. Chairs
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Account LoginConference DatesMarch 31 - April 3, 2011 RegistrationRegistration is now closed. InformationClick here for more details about PENNMC 2011! Check us out on Facebook!
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