WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08), Chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit, today released the following statement following recent media reports that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) intends to deny assistance to American cotton farmers and the rural communities that depend on the U.S. cotton industry:

“It’s no secret that the U.S. agricultural economy is struggling, and that the cotton industry has felt that impact especially severely as a result of a deeply distorted and depressed global market,” said Congressman Austin Scott. “While I appreciate Secretary Vilsack’s diligence in considering the request that I, and more than 100 of my colleagues in Congress, made to allow cottonseed to participate alongside other oilseeds under the Farm Bill, I am perplexed and disappointed by recent reports that the USDA intends to deny this much needed assistance.  I think we agree that our cotton farmers, and the rural communities that depend on our cotton industry, deserve relief, and I remain hopeful that Secretary Vilsack will use the clear authority he was given in the Farm Bill to take action on this matter.”

Congressman Austin Scott joined over 100 colleagues, including Members of the House Committee on Agriculture and Agriculture Chairman K. Michael Conaway, on a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack urging that he take action to help stabilize the U.S. cotton industry by designating cottonseed as an ‘other oilseed’ for purposes for the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs.

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