Congressman David Scott (GA-13) was approved by the Democratic Caucus to serve as the first African American Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. The committee is empowered with legislative oversight relating to the U.S. agriculture industry, forestry, nutrition, and rural development.

“I am honored to have been chosen by my colleagues in the Democratic Caucus to serve as Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee,” said Congressman Scott. “I was born on my grandparents’ farm in rural Aynor, South Carolina, during the days of segregation, and the hardships, of those, on whose shoulders I now stand. I owe this historic selection as the first African American Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee to a diverse coalition of members from across our nation. And I will use this critical opportunity to represent the values of our entire caucus and advance our priorities for trade, disaster aid, climate change, sustainable agriculture, SNAP, crop insurance, small family farms, specialty crops, and rural broadband. The fault lines dividing our rural and urban communities are running deep, and climate change is now threatening our nation’s food supply. As Chairman, I will lead the fight to rise up and meet these challenges.”

Congressman David Scott has served as a Member of Congress and the House Agriculture Committee since 2003. In his various leadership roles on the House Agriculture Committee, Congressman Scott has chaired the Subcommittees on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit as well as Livestock and Foreign Agriculture. Scott played a key role in ushering through the three last Farm Bills, including by serving as a conferee, securing critical disaster aid for our farmers, strengthening the food and nutrition programs that help our families, seniors and school children and securing $80 million for new scholarships for students attending 1890 African-American land-grant colleges and universities.

Several meat industry trade groups congratulated Rep. Scott upon his appointment.

“Congressman Scott’s selection by his peers to lead the House Agriculture Committee is a testament to his longstanding work in food and nutrition policy,” said Julie Anna Potts, President and CEO of the North American Meat Institute. “Congressman Scott has been a strong ally of animal agriculture and we look forward to working with him on the issues with that impact the meat and poultry industry.”

“On behalf of the chicken industry, I want to congratulate Congressman Scott on being named the next Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, a historic achievement as the first African American and first Georgia House member to ever hold the position,” said National Chicken Council President Mike Brown. “As a veteran of the committee, and a long-time member of the Congressional Chicken Caucus, he brings a wealth of experience and knowledge of agricultural issues to the chairmanship. We look forward to working with him in the 117^th Congress on matters of importance to our industry.”

Source: Office of Rep. David Scott, North American meat Institute, National Chicken Council