House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig, D-Minn., and Vice Ranking Member Shontel Brown, D-Ohio, are urging Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson to conduct congressional oversight hearings examining the challenges facing U.S. farmers.
The lawmakers' request follows a January 2026 letter in which they provided Thompson with a list of potential oversight hearing topics. In their latest letter, Craig and Brown said conditions facing farmers have worsened since the January request.
The lawmakers pointed to high input prices and broader economic pressures as contributing factors to the ongoing challenges facing agricultural producers. They also criticized the Trump administration's tariffs and policies related to conflicts in the Middle East, arguing that those actions have increased costs for farmers and consumers.
With 15 legislative days remaining before Congress adjourns for October, Craig and Brown called for the committee to use its remaining time to examine the farm economy and identify potential policy changes or improvements.
The lawmakers specifically requested oversight focused on the current farm crisis and policies that could address what they described as a continued decline in the U.S. agricultural economy. They argued that congressional oversight is necessary to assess the challenges facing farm families and determine potential legislative responses.
Source: House Agriculture Committee, "Ranking Member Angie Craig, Vice Ranking Member Brown Press Chairman Thompson on Oversight"