Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry

The Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry is a specialized division of the House Committee on Agriculture that focuses on a critical segment of American agriculture. As a subcommittee, it conducts initial hearings and reviews legislation within its jurisdiction before matters advance to the full committee, which alone can report bills to the House floor. The subcommittee's domain encompasses policies, statutes, and markets relating to livestock, poultry, dairy, and seafood, including inspection, marketing, and promotion of these commodities. It also oversees aquaculture, animal welfare, and grazing issues. This narrow focus allows the subcommittee to develop specialized expertise in animal agriculture while the broader Agriculture Committee handles crop commodities, nutrition, forestry, and other agricultural domains.

The subcommittee is chaired by Representative Tracey Mann of Kansas, a Republican, with Jim Costa of California serving as the Ranking Member for the Democratic minority. The 19-member panel includes representatives from agricultural states, reflecting the importance of livestock and dairy production to rural economies. Recent activity includes hearings on critical issues such as safeguarding U.S. agriculture through the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, examining the pork industry, and reviewing dairy programs. The subcommittee's work directly supports farmers, ranchers, and dairy producers while addressing consumer concerns about food safety and agricultural sustainability.