It became official today that Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa will become chairman of the Senate health committee, replacing the late Sen. Edward Kennedy. The move means that Harkin will no longer be chairman of the agriculture committee, but says he will remain as a member of the committee which he has been on since 1985. “My dedication to the Agriculture Committee dates back to my first year in Congress when I served on the House Agriculture Committee in 1975,” Harkin said.

The new chairman of the ag committee is Sen. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, who has served on the committee since 1998. “As a seventh-generation Arkansan and farmer’s daughter, I know my father is smiling down on me today,” Lincoln said. “I thank Senator Harkin for his tremendous leadership. As Chairman, I will work with my colleagues to build upon the Committee’s strong record and devote my full energy to producing forward-looking, balanced priorities on behalf of all families and communities. I will continue to fight for the hardworking farm families and rural communities who provide the safest, most abundant and affordable supply of food and fiber in the world.” Lincoln is the first woman ever to chair the committee.

American Farm Bureau Federation president Bob Stallman commented on the committee chair changes in a statement. “Sen. Lincoln has been a long-time friend of Farm Bureau. She received the Golden Plow Award in 2008, the highest honor the American Farm Bureau Federation presents to members of Congress, for her steadfast support of America’s farmers and ranchers,” said Stallman. “Farm Bureau is also pleased that Sen. Harkin has agreed to continue to serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee. Sen. Harkin has always been deeply committed to the nation’s farmers and ranchers, and we are confident he will continue to represent and hear the concerns of agriculture as he helps set the tone for important issues such as healthcare, education and labor in his new chairmanship.”