Ag Industry, Lawmakers Congratulate New House Ag Committee Leadership
This week leaders elected leadership for the House Agriculture Committee of the 117th Congress. Rep. David Scott, D-Ga., will serve as Chairman while Rep. Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, R-Pa., will serve as the Ranking Member. Agriculture industry leaders and current committee leadership congratulated the congressmen.
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson, D-Minn. congratulated incoming Committee Chairman Scott of Georgia following his election to the position on Thursday.
“Congratulations to David Scott on his election as the next Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee and as the first African-American to serve in that role," Peterson said. “He will make a great Chairman, and I’m proud to pass the reins to him. As a long-time House Ag member and leader, David knows very well the impact the Committee’s work has on the lives of farmers, ranchers, rural residents, and consumers in communities across the country. I’m confident we’re all in good and capable hands.”
The National Milk Producers Federation also congratulated Rep. Scott on his election and noted he has served on the committee since coming to Congress in 2003.
“We congratulate Congressman Scott on his new role as Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee and look forward to working closely with him to address the challenges facing the nation’s dairy farmers and their cooperatives,” said Jim Mulhern, NMPF president and CEO. “We value his years of service on the committee and appreciate his support on numerous issues, ranging from nutrition to environmental policy.”
Rep. Scott previously served as Chairman of the Dairy Subcommittee during the 2009 dairy market collapse and has supported bipartisan legislation to enhance milk consumption in our schools. In addition to his work on multiple farm bills, he has also backed several important environmental and sustainability measures, including 2016 agricultural biotechnology disclosure legislation, Mulhern notes.
“We look forward to once again partnering with him as dairy producers continue to weather significant challenges, including those brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic during the last year,” he added.
Similarly, International Dairy Foods Association CEO Michael Dykes noted Rep. Scott’s previous experience with the Farm Bill.
“We look forward to continuing to work with Chairman Scott and other members of the Committee in a bipartisan fashion to ensure that our nation’s nutrition programs are designed to encourage consumption of healthy and nutritious dairy products,” he said in a statement. “Only one in ten Americans consumes the three servings of dairy a day recommended by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, so there is much work that we can do together to make sure all Americans are getting the unique nutritional benefits that dairy provides.”
National Corn Growers Association President John Linder says he hopes Rep. Scott will continue to support corn farmers.
“The National Corn Growers Association congratulates Congressman Scott on his new role as Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee,” he said in a statement. “Through his tenure on the Committee, Scott has demonstrated strong support for the policies important to corn farmers. NCGA looks forward to continuing our work with the House Agriculture Committee and Chairman Scott in this new leadership role.”
Additionally, Rep. Thompson was welcomed with open arms.
“I also want to congratulate Congressman GT Thompson on his election as the House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member,” Chairman Peterson said. “I have had the pleasure of working with GT on dairy and conservation issues, and I know he and David Scott will make a great team to lead the Committee in the 117th Congress."
NMPF said Rep. Thompson is the descendant of a long line of dairy farmers and been a champion of dairy producers on the House Agriculture Committee since coming to Congress in 2009.
“We have enjoyed working with Congressman Thompson and his team for years. GT has been a vocal and effective advocate for the needs of dairy farmers in Pennsylvania and throughout the country,” Mulhern said. “He also has a keen understanding of the need to build a vibrant rural economy to sustain a safe, abundant, and affordable food supply to nourish our country and our planet.”
During his time in Congress, Rep. Thompson has played a critical role in enacting bipartisan policies that create an effective climate for dairy farmers and their cooperatives to produce safe, healthy dairy products in an environmentally sustainable manner, Mulhern noted. As Vice Chairman of the Agriculture Committee, GT worked with his colleagues to secure much-needed dairy policy reforms, culminating in the Dairy Margin Coverage program created in the 2018 Farm Bill.
“Congressman Thompson’s bipartisan record of achievement speaks for itself, and we are eager to work with him to build on that record as he assumes his new role,” said Mulhern. “We congratulate GT on his appointment as Ranking Member and know he will continue to be a leading voice in the House for dairy and all of agriculture.”
NCGA’s Linder called Thompson a strong advocate for farmers
“The National Corn Growers Association congratulates Representative Thompson on his new role as Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee. In his time on the Committee, Thompson has been a strong advocate for farmers and policies impacting rural America,” he said.
