Ag Policy Blog

Top Donors to House and Senate Ag Leaders

Chris Clayton
By  Chris Clayton , DTN Ag Policy Editor
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Who gives money to some of our agricultural leaders in Washington? Well here is a small rundown of some campaign contributors who I'm told have absolutely no influence on the outcome of past, present or future legislation. Nonetheless, these are the top donors to leaders of the Senate and House Ag Committees.

Senate Agriculture Committee

Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, is expected to become chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. His campaign raised $6.9 million for his re-election, which he won with just over 53% of the vote.

The top industries contributing to Roberts were Leadership PACs, pharmaceuticals/health products, securities and investments, oil & gas, agricultural services and health professionals. Each those industries contributed at least $204,000 to Roberts' campaign.

The top PAC contributors to Roberts' campaign were Burns & McDonnell, Koch Industries, Votesane PAC, Blackstone Group, Novogradac & Co., Goldman Sachs, Select Medical Holdings, Alston & Bird, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and DuPont. Each of those companies or groups contributed at least $22,550 to Roberts' campaign.

While Roberts and his independent opponent spent nearly $11 million, the real money in the race was from independent expenditures by groups supporting or opposing candidates. The Federal Elections Commission reports $17.9 million was spent by outside groups in the Kansas race.

Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., current chairwoman of the Senate Ag Committee, wasn't up for re-election in 2014 and will not face re-election until 2018. In her 2012 race, Stabenow raised $11.56 million.

In the 2012 election cycle, the trop industries contributing to Stabenow were lawyers, securities and investments, health professionals, retired people and women's organizations.

The top contributors to Stabenow's 2012 race were EMILY's List, JP Morgan Chase & Co., DTE Energy, Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Vestar Capital Partners. Each of those groups contributed at least $44,250 to Stabenow.

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Stabenow does have a PAC, the America's Leadership PAC, that raised $771,642 this election cycle that largely was redistributed to Democratic candidates.

House Agriculture Committee

Michael Conaway, R-Texas, who is expected to become chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, raised $1.9 million for his election campaign. Conaway carried his district with 90% of the vote.

The top industries contributing to Conaway were crop production, oil & gas, other agricultural services, securities & investment, livestock and accounting. Each of those industries contributed at least $82,400 to Conaway's campaign.

The top PAC contributors were PricewaterhouseCoopers, Northrop Grumman, Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, the American Institute of CPAs, CME Group, Depository Trust and Clearing Corp., National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Deloitte LLP, General Dynamics, Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Co-op, Snake River Sugar, Monsanto Co, National Association of Broadcasters and Koch Industries. Each of those groups or companies contributed at least $20,000 to Conaway's campaign.

Conaway was the number two recipient in the House for campaign contributions in the House from groups or people associated with crop production, livestock and sugar, according to Open Secrets.

Collin Peterson, D-Minn., the ranking member of the House Ag Committee, raised $1.44 million for his re-election campaign. Peterson carried his district with 54% of the vote.

The top industries contributing to Peterson were crop production, other agricultural services, Leadership PACs, dairy, public-sector unions, forestry and securities & investments. Each of those industries contributed at least $44,500 to Peterson's campaign.

The top PAC or industry contributors to Peterson were Dairy Farmers of America, Land O'Lakes, AG Processing, National Beer Wholesalers Association, American Crystal Sugar, Walmart, Fair Oakes Dairy Farmers, QBE Insurance, Air Line Pilots Association, American Association of Crop Insurers, American Federation of State-County-Municipal Employees, American Medical Association, American Veterinary Medical Association, AmeriPAC, Archer Daniels Midland, Associated Milk Producers, Blue Dog PAC, CME Group, Ernst & Young, Farm Credit Council, Follow the North Star Fund, Independent Community Bankers, International Paper, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Koch Industries, Laborers Union, Monsanto Co., National Cotton Council, National Council of Farmer Co-ops, National Rural Water Association, Operating Engineers Union, PAC of the Future, Plumbers/Pipefitters Union, Rain & Hail Insurance Society, RD Offut co., and Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Co-Op. Each of those groups or companies gave at least $10,000 to Peterson's campaign.

Peterson was the number one recipient in the House for contributions from agricultural services and the sugar industry and number three for the dairy industry.

Independent groups also spent $8.8 million in Peterson's district due to heavy spending against Peterson by the National Republican Congressional Committee that was counteracted by comparable spending by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Frank Lucas, R-Okla., who is term-limited by GOP rules, is the outgoing chairman House Ag Committee and could possibly chair another committee in the next Congress. Lucas raised $1.3 million for his campaign. Lucas carried his district with nearly 79% of the vote.

The top industries contributing to Lucas were crop production, agricultural services, securities & investment, oil & gas, commercial banks, insurance and dairy. Each of those industries contributed at least $45,750 to Lucas' campaign.

The top PAC or industry contributors to Lucas were Devon Energy, Tom James Co., Dairy Farmers of America, Crop Insurance Professionals Association, JP Morgan Chase & Co., American Bankers Association, CME Group, Rain & Hail Insurance Society, Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers, American Association of Crop Insurers, American Crystal Sugar, American Seniors Housing Association, American Veterinary Medical Association, Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Chesapeake Energy, Deere & Co., Depository Trust & Clearing Corp., Ernst & Young, Futures Industry Association, Independent Community Bankers of America, Land O'Lakes, Monsanto Co., National Association of Convenience Stores, National Beer Wholesalers Association, National Cotton Council, National Sorghum Producers, National Telecommunications Cooperatives, United Egg Association and USA Rice Federation. Each of those groups contributed at least $10,000 to Lucas' campaign.

Lucas is the number two recipient in the House for agricultural services and number four for the poultry & egg industries.

Sources: Opensecrets.org campaign material, the Federal Elections Commission and elections information from secretary of state or election offices.

Follow me on Twitter @ChrisClaytonDTN.

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