U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, who represents Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District, was elected the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee this week.

Craig, 52, won the popular vote over California Rep. Jim Costa in a Tuesday vote. That’s after the current ranking Democrat on the agriculture panel, Rep. David Scott of Georgia, dropped out of the running on Monday after the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee voted to recommend Craig. Scott, 79, has been dealing with illness.

“I just won my D+1 district by nearly 14 points because my farmers and rural constituents know that I’ll meet them where they’re at, I’ll listen to their concerns and I’ll work with whoever I can to improve their lives,” Craig said in a statement. “My focus will be on improving people’s lives — not scoring political points. We can lower food and energy costs for consumers. 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.

Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn, faces GOP challenger Tyler Kistner to retain her 2nd Congressional District seat in the November 2022 election. (Courtesy of the candidate)

“As the granddaughter of an Arkansas farm foreman, as someone who grew up relying on nutrition assistance — someone who knows firsthand how critical good ag policy is — I could not be more proud to lead our Caucus as Ranking Member of the Agriculture Committee,” she added.

The news was welcomed by other agriculture groups in the state and nation.

“It’s welcome news that Rep. Craig will be representing her caucus in negotiations as Congress works to pass disaster relief and a Farm Bill,” MFU President Gary Wertish said in a statement. “Rep. Craig has a proven track record of bringing people together around bipartisan solutions. We’re glad that she will be joining Sen. Klobuchar as a leading voice in Farm Bill discussions.”

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., is in line to become the ranking member on the Senate Agriculture Committee, giving Minnesota even more representation at the table.

“We stand ready to work with Rep. Craig to ensure passage of a new 5-year farm bill and to address other matters important to agriculture and rural America,” American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said in a statement.

Jim Kanten of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association said Craig is a “great champion of Minnesota’s farm families and rural communities, advocating for policies that benefit growers and the agriculture industry.”

The International Dairy Foods Association also welcomed the news.

“As a cosponsor of both the Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program Act and the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, Rep. Craig is focused on increasing healthy dairy consumption and delivering critical nutrients to SNAP participants, children, and all Americans,” Michael Dykes, president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association, said in a statement. “Her background and commitment to agricultural and rural communities, Minnesota’s rich dairy heritage, and Rep. Craig’s proven track record of bipartisanship, give us confidence in her ability to champion the interests of U.S. dairy.”

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