Last week U.S. House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member
Collin Peterson (D-MN) announced that new U.S. Rep. Alfred “Al” Lawson (D-FL),
a Florida A&M University alumnus, will join him as one of the 20 Democratic
members of the committee.
“The Agriculture Committees new and returning members are
ready to get to work on the wide variety of issues overseen by the Committee,
including reauthorizing the 2014 Farm Bill. I look forward to working with them
and the Republican members of the Committee this Congress,” Peterson said.
Lawson said that he is excited to serve on the committee, which does work that is important to his district.
“Agriculture is a more than $120 billion industry in Florida and one of the strongest pillars of our state’s economy supporting more than 2 million jobs,” Lawson said in a quote published in the Florida politics blog. “I am pleased to serve on this committee. This is an exciting time for American agriculture, and particularly Florida agriculture. I look forward to working with the committee on urban agriculture and food desert issues in the inner cities of the 5th Congressional District, as well as working on some of the rural development and crop issues facing our rural farmers.”
Another FAMU alumnus, U.S. Rep. David Scott (D-GA), is also
on the Agriculture Committee. The committee is chaired by U.S. Rep. K. Michael
Conaway (D-TX).