At its January 27 meeting, the House Agriculture Committee ratified the members of all six Agriculture Subcommittees for the 112th Congress. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK) announced Rep. Tom Rooney (R-FL) will chair the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry, and Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN) named Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-CA) as the subcommittee's ranking member. This subcommittee has jurisdiction over the legislation on livestock, dairy, poultry, meat, seafood and seafood products, as well as the inspection, marketing and promotion of such commodities. It also covers aquaculture, animal welfare and grazing.

Representative Tom Rooney
Although this is only Rooney's second term representing his district in South Central Florida, he is not new to Washington, D.C. Early in his career he worked for Senator Connie Mack (R-FL) in Washington, D.C., and later served in the U.S. Army JAG Corps. Rooney's grandfather was the original founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and ownership and management remain with the Rooney family. The family also owns several sporting venues, including a horseracing venue in Florida.

Representative Dennis Cardoza
This is Cardoza's fifth term in Congress and on the House Agriculture Committee. A member of a dairy farming family, Cardoza was the first in his family to graduate from college and now represents the Northern San Joaquin Valley of California. Prior to serving in Congress, Cardoza spent six years in the California State Assembly, where he chaired the powerful Rules Committee and helped forge the Moderate Democratic Caucus.

Other members of the subcommittee include Republican Representatives Mike Conaway (TX), Scott DesJarlais (TN), Stephen Fincher (TN), Chris Gibson (NY), Bob Goodlatte (VA), Tim Huelskamp (KS), Steve King (IA), Randy Neugebauer (TX) and Reid Ribble (WI) and Democratic Representatives Joe Baca (CA), Leonard Boswell (IA), Joe Courtney (CT), Tim Holden (PA), Bill Owens (NY), Kurt Schrader (OR) and David Scott (GA).

For more information, visit the House Agriculture Committee or contact Chelsee Woodey, IDFA director of legislative affairs, at cwoodey@idfa.org.