U.S. Sen. Cory Booker was appointed to the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee Tuesday, becoming only the second Black American to hold a seat on the panel since it was established in 1825.

“Our food system is deeply broken. Family farmers are struggling and their farms are disappearing, while big agriculture conglomerates get bigger and enjoy greater profits,” the senator said. “Meanwhile, healthy, fresh food is hard to find and even harder to afford in rural and urban communities alike. In the richest country on the planet, over 35 million Americans from every walk of life are food insecure.”

To join the body, Booker gave up his seat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. He’s still a member of the Judiciary, Foreign Relations and Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committees.

U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) was also appointed to the agriculture panel, giving it two Black members for the first time in the country’s history.

“I can’t wait to get to work on this committee building diverse coalitions of stakeholders to begin addressing these urgent issues and making change for the people of this country, of New Jersey, and my neighborhood in Newark,” he said.

Source: https://newjerseyglobe.com/congress/booker-gets-a-spot-on-senate-agriculture-committee/?fbclid=IwAR2zSJE22Veq4d6iPgu_QO0glB3a_AG3piq2yhIuiasuD1G2dNA30M9up04