Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., will chair the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee in the 115th Congress, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran, R-Miss., announced late Jan. 24.

Hoeven will succeed Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., who will take over the Senate Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Committee.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Ill., a freshman, has joined the minority on the committee.

Hoeven said in a statement, "Our farmers and ranchers produce the highest quality, lowest cost food supply in the world, which benefits every American, every day. As chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee, I look forward to working with my colleagues to invest in rural America and programs that help North Dakota's and the nation's producers feed our country, including implementation of the farm bill, agriculture research, rural development, energy and conservation programs. We also look forward to making sure that we have flexibility in our school meal programs so that schools are able to serve nutritious meals within their budgets that students will eat."

Cochran also released a full roster of the subcommittee, which is formally known as the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee:

Republican members:

John Hoeven of North Dakota, chairman

Thad Cochran of Mississippi

Mitch McConnell of Kentucky

Susan Collins of Maine

Roy Blunt of Missouri

Jerry Moran of Kansas

Marco Rubio of Florida

Democratic members:

Jeff Merkley of Oregon, ranking member

Dianne Feinstein of California

John Tester of Montana

Tom Udall of New Mexico

Patrick Leahy of Vermont

Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin ❖