With the new Democratic majority in the House, Minnesota Congressman Collin Peterson is back as chairman of the agriculture committee. Peterson has 12 new Democrats on his committee, including ten freshmen. ProFarmer analyst Jim Wiesemeyer is already looking at 2020 and beyond. “Collin Peterson is the House Agriculture Committee and he knows agriculture like the back of his hand, but I don’t know if he’ll run for reelection in 2020,” said Wiesemeyer. “He wants to educate his bench now because when you look at the Democrats on the committee, they need some staying power and Collin is a good educator.” On the Senate side, Kansas Senator Pat Roberts will not run for reelection in 2020, which should put Arkansas Senator John Boozman at the helm of the agriculture committee. “Boozman is good friends with Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota so he’ll have the sugar angle with that.” Wiesemeyer spoke at the American Sugarbeet Growers Association annual meeting.
