Agricultural Shake Up On Capitol Hill

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The defeat of U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson in Minnesota and some key retirements mean a shakeup is coming for agriculture on Capitol Hill. Observers say power is likely to shift from the Midwest to the South and the coasts. Both the House and Senate agriculture committees will get new chairs. Names in the mix include lawmakers from Southern and coastal states, and urban districts. Observers say they’re likely to prioritize Southern crops such as peanuts, rice and cotton over traditional Midwest concerns of corn, soybeans, sugar beets and dairy. And it likely means a new emphasis on nutrition programs that serve the poor.