Longtime U.S. House Agriculture Committee member David Scott, D-Georgia, has died at the age of 80.
His passing was announced on the House floor on April 22, and a statement from Scott's office described his death as "unexpected."
Scott was born on a farm in rural South Carolina, but after his parents moved, he continued to live and work on his grandparents' farms, Scott said in 2020, while making his desire to become the agriculture committee chairman known.
Scott was first elected to the House in 2002 after spending the previous 20 years in the Georgia State Senate, and the eight years before that in the Georgia House of Representatives. Upon his election to the U.S. House of Representatives, he immediately became a member of the agriculture committee.
He became the committee chairman in 2021, a position he held for a year until Republicans gained control of the House. He would spend the next year as the committee's ranking member.
Scott had reportedly been in the House chambers just one day prior to his death. Two days before his passing, he was one of four House members to introduce bipartisan legislation to increase education, awareness and recognition of endometriosis — a painful chronic condition impacting as many as 10% of women.
Key to Scott's legacy is his dedication to the 1890 National Scholars Program. 1890 institutions are historically Black land-grant universities established under the Second Morrill Act of 1890. There are 19 such institutions spread throughout the nation. In the research title of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, these institutions receive increased support so that they may continue to educate, train and empower the next generation of agriculture leaders.
Because of that dedication, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson, R-Pennsylvania, made an amendment to the proposed farm bill earlier this year to change the name of the 1890 National Scholars Program to the David A. Scott Scholarship Program for Students at 1890 Institutions.
"There has been no greater champion of this scholarship program than Rep. David Scott, a graduate of an 1890 land-grant institution and the former chairman of the ag committee," Thompson said at the time. "It was only right to introduce an amendment to the farm bill that renamed this important scholarship program after Mr. Scott, its most steadfast advocate in Congress."
Tributes to Rep. Scott
Scott was remembered in high regard by his colleagues in Congress and the greater agriculture community.
"My condolences go out to former Chairman Scott's family, friends, and the people of Georgia," Thompson said. "Mr. Scott was a friend, a brother in the Lord, and an institution on the House Committee on Agriculture. His legacy will live on in the policy he shaped over the years, including the 1890 Scholarship Program. … I know he will be missed in the halls of Congress."
Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minnesota, succeeded Scott as the ranking member. She remembered him fondly.
"He was a strong voice for Georgia's farmers, hungry veterans and young people — who he helped shape into the next generation of agricultural leaders through his fierce advocacy for the 1890 Scholarship Program at historically Black colleges and universities. The House Agriculture Committee will remember him for his strong faith, kindness and dedication to our nation's farmers and working people. May his memory be a blessing," Craig said.
Rep. Shontel Brown, D-Ohio, said she was grateful for the opportunity to serve with and learn from Scott.
"When I joined the Agriculture Committee, he welcomed me with kindness and generosity, always ready to share his deep knowledge and experience. He wasn't just a history-making chair, he was a true public servant who believed in the work and the people behind it," Brown said.
Rob Larew, president of National Farmers Union, said: "Rep. Scott was a fierce champion for agriculture, and our hearts go out to his family, friends, and constituents during this difficult time. As former chair of the House Agriculture Committee, he fought tirelessly for family farmers and ranchers in Georgia and across the nation. His work to broaden the tent of agriculture and expand opportunities for minority farmers will leave a lasting mark. We are grateful for his leadership and service to American agriculture."
"I'm deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Rep. David Scott," said Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. "Throughout his five decades of public service at the state level and then in Congress, Rep. Scott kept the well-being of others at the center of his efforts. I had the pleasure of getting to know David during his time in the Georgia Assembly, and our relationship grew during his tenures as the ranking member and chair of the House Agriculture Committee. He was committed to improving conditions for America's farmers and was willing to reach across the aisle to get the job done."
