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Today, Chairman David Scott provided the following statement during the House Agriculture Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit Subcommittee Hearing on farm energy productions and their impact on income and rural communities.

“Renewable energy has been hailed as a driver of income equality for black and rural farmers. It has proven to reduce energy costs, and it is a significant beneficiary to the fight against climate change,” stated Congressman Scott.

Solar panels, wind turbines, and other natural energy sources have the capacity to create more economic opportunities for farmers in rural America by reducing agricultural production costs, in which approximately 15% are energy-related, according to the USDA.

Improvements in renewable energy technology can help reduce the effects of rising energy prices by helping farmers across the U.S. offset or supplement their production costs and in-turn improve their production capabilities.

Likewise, Farm Bill Programs and other forms of Federal assistance give farmers in rural areas more opportunities to implement cost-effective renewable energy into their production activities by stimulating economic activity and by subsequently reducing greenhouse gas and carbon emissions.

“We must place our rural communities and minority farmers at the forefront of agricultural and environmental issues,” Rep. Scott continued, “so that we transition our energy mechanisms toward more sustainable and cost-effective methods that proportionately support production and our environment.”