Dec 11, 2020
House ag committee votes on new chairperson
Rep. David Scott (D-Georgia) has been voted the next chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture by the Democratic Steering Committee.
The committee voted 32-19 Dec. 2 in favor of Scott over fellow committee member Jim Costa (D-California) to replace Collin Peterson of Minnesota, who lost his re-election bid.
“Throughout his tenure on the Agriculture Committee, Chairman-elect Scott has been a tireless advocate for our food-insecure citizens,” National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles said through a statement. “Potato growers look forward to working with him on policies that will allow them to continue to deliver nutrient-rich, high-quality vegetables to American families.”
In addition, Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-Pennsylvania) has been named Ranking Member of the committee.
“Ranking Member-elect Thompson understands the challenges faced by the U.S. agriculture industry in producing a safe, healthy, and competitive food supply for both domestic and international consumers,” said NPC President Britt Raybould. “As growers of nutritious and cost-effective vegetables, U.S. potato growers look forward to working with Congressman Thompson to enhance potatoes’ contributions to the committee’s mission of securing the livelihoods of America’s farming families and the consumers they serve.”
Scott represents Georgia’s 13th Congressional District, which includes part of Atlanta and its western suburbs. He was recently re-elected for his 10th term. Peterson publicly endorsed Scott to replace himself as chairman.
Thompson represents Pennsylvania’s 15th Congressional District, which includes a large geographic area in the north-central part of the state. He previously represented the 5th District, but was redistricted prior to the 2018 midterm elections.
“Over the past decade, the U.S. potato industry has encouraged the adoption of sustainable practices that benefit the environment and enhance our family-owned businesses. As stewards of the land and our water resources, America’s potato growers look forward to building upon these commonsense solutions with the Committee,” Quarles concluded.
