With the swearing in of the 111th Congress today, Rep. Frank Lucas from Oklahoma assumes the position of Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee. Republican leadership selected Lucas to serve in this position last month. He succeeds Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) who served as the ranking Republican on the committee for the past six years including four as Chairman.

“I am honored to serve as the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Agriculture. As a lifelong farmer from Oklahoma, I have lived the real world challenges farmers face across the country. I will continue to be a strong voice for rural America and, in particular, for production agriculture. I look forward to this new leadership role and will strive to work together with Chairman Peterson and the entire committee to resolve the challenges facing America’s ranchers and farmers,” said Ranking Member Lucas.

Lucas has been an active member on the House Agriculture Committee since he was first elected to Congress in 1994. He played an important role in writing the 1996, 2002, and 2008 Farm Bills, serving as a conferee for the last two. Most recently, Lucas served as ranking member of the Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Rural Development, and Research. As a strong advocate for voluntary agriculture conservation programs, Lucas secured the largest increase in programs such as Environmental Quality Incentives Program, the Conservation Reserve Program, and many others.

“Frank Lucas has a strong record as an advocate for farmers and ranchers. He is a good friend and a respected colleague. I look forward to working with him to address the important food and farm policy issues we face in the coming Congress,” commented Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN).

Lucas represents the 3rd District, which includes all or portions of 32 counties in northern and western Oklahoma. It is a major producer of wheat, cotton, and cattle.

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