Source: POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE, 8/15/22

Ag Committee press secretary Lillie Zeng departed the committee last week, the latest shakeup in the office as it gears up for the 2023 farm bill.

Zeng had been with the committee for a little over a year, joining in July 2021. She has not yet announced her next move. Patrick Delaney will take over comms for the committee for the time being.

Another big departure: Stabenow also lost her longtime committee chief of staff, Joe Schultz, in July. Schultz had served since 2011, moving from senior economist to chief economist in 2013 and becoming staff director in 2015 until his departure in July.

Schultz has also not made clear his next move, but a committee statement said he will stay in the ag and climate space.

Erica Chabot, who spent the last decade on the Appropriations Committee as legislative director and deputy chief of staff, will replace Schultz.

Why it matters: The departures come right before debate is set to ramp up on the 2023 farm bill, which is renewed every five years. The departure of Schultz, who has helped write the past two farm bills with Stabenow, is particularly notable, with Stabenow saying that “he may be an Ohio State Buckeye, but he will be deeply missed.”