House Democrats elect first Black chair of agriculture panel

Rep. David Scott, D-Ga.

The House Agriculture Committee has its first African American chair.

"Rep. David Scott of Georgia soundly defeated a California rival in a vote among majority-party Democrats on Thursday," Chuck Abbott reports for Successful Farming. "Scott, who represents a suburban Atlanta district with 313 farms, pledged to tackle an array of issues, most prominently climate change and the rural-urban split, in the new session of Congress opening on Jan. 3." He succeeds Collin Peterson of Minnesota, who was defeated for re-election in a district that went big for President Trump. Peterson endorsed Scott over Rep. Jim Costa of Fresno, Calif.

Scott’s election means that three of the four leaders of the agriculture committees will be new to the jobs, Abbott notes: "House Republicans voted on Thursday to make Rep. Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania their leader on House Agriculture. Sen. John Boozman of Arkansas is expected to be the top Republican on the Senate Agriculture Committee, either as chairman or the so-called ranking member from the minority," depending on the outcome of the Jan. 5 runoff elections in Georgia.