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Former House Ag Committee Chairman David Scott dies at 80

Rep. David Scott, who spent more than 50 years in elected office and served stints as chairman and ranking member of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, died on April 22. He was 80.

Scott was campaigning for his 13th term in Congress at the time of his death. His legislative career dates back to 1974, when he was elected to the Georgia General Assembly. He served terms in both the state House and the state Senate. In 2002, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as congressman for Georgia's 13th Congressional District, a role he would hold with unwavering dedication for more than 20 years.

“Georgia Farm Bureau offers our deepest condolences to U.S. Rep. David Scott’s wife, Alfredia, their daughters and all family members, friends, and staffers. I had the pleasure of working with Rep. Scott in the Georgia General Assembly when I first began serving in the Georgia House in the mid-1990s. He worked tirelessly for his constituents then and after he was elected to represent Georgia’s 13th District in the U.S. House of Representatives,” said Georgia Farm Bureau President Tom McCall. “Georgia’s farmers appreciate the work Rep. Scott did as he served on the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, especially when he chaired the committee from January 2021 through January 2023.”

In Congress, Scott distinguished himself as a powerful voice for farmers, working families, and underserved communities. He made history as the first Black chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, where he advocated for rural development, food assistance programs, and long-overdue equity for minority farmers.

“I’m deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Representative David Scott. Throughout his five decades of public service at the state level and then in Congress, Representative 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,” said American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall. “He was committed to improving conditions for America’s farmers and was willing to reach across the aisle to get the job done. My prayers are with his family during this difficult time, and for the communities he served.”

One of the Congressman’s most proud accomplishments was the obtainment of $80 million in funding for scholarships at 19 Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the country through the Farm Bill. In March 2026, the House Committee on Agriculture renamed the scholarship program to “The David A. Scott Scholarship Program for Students at 1890 Institutions.”

This article includes excerpts from Scott’s obituary published by Willie Watkins Funeral Home.

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