Finstad, Brad

Brad Finstad represents Minnesota's 1st congressional district, a rural area in southern Minnesota bordering Iowa. He was elected in a 2022 special election to complete the term of the late Jim Hagedorn. As chair of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture, Finstad oversees policies related to domestic nutrition programs and international agricultural trade and development. This subcommittee role gives him significant influence over legislation affecting food assistance programs, agricultural exports, and rural development initiatives.

Finstad brings substantial agricultural and rural policy expertise to his committee work. He operates a family farm and spent his early career in agricultural sectors, including roles with Christensen Family Farms and the Minnesota Farm Bureau. He served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2003 to 2009, where he held the position of assistant minority leader. From 2008 to 2017, he led the Center for Rural Policy and Development, a nonprofit policy research organization. In 2017, President Trump appointed him as Minnesota state director of USDA Rural Development, a position he held until 2021. This background in both agricultural operations and rural development policy directly aligns with his current committee responsibilities.

As subcommittee chair, Finstad shapes the legislative agenda on nutrition and international agricultural matters within the broader Agriculture Committee. He also serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Small Business Committee, expanding his influence across multiple policy areas. His sponsored legislation reflects his focus on rural development, agricultural lending, and small business support, including bills to improve USDA lending platforms and support veterans' facilities. His combination of farming experience, prior government service in agricultural policy, and legislative background positions him as a key voice on agricultural and rural issues in Congress.