Sheria Yancey, executive director for USDA’s Farm Service Agency in Franklin County, recently announced farmer and rancher candidate nominations begin on June 15 for local Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees. The nomination period continues through Aug. 3. Elections take place this fall.
“I encourage all producers to participate in the county committee election process by nominating candidates by the Aug. 3 deadline,” said Yancey. “We are counting on as much participation as possible, because county committees are an important link between the farm community and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. We have seen a trend in recent years of increased nominations of minority and women producers and we hope that will continue.”
To be eligible to serve on an FSA county committee, a person must participate or cooperate in a program administered by FSA, be eligible to vote in a county committee election and reside in the local administrative area in which the person is a candidate.
“This year, our office will be electing someone from the local administrative area #3 that covers all of the Boone and Meramec Townships and the Lyon Township west of Highway 185,” stated Yancey.
Producers may also nominate themselves, and organizations representing minority and women may also nominate candidates. To become a nominee, eligible individuals must sign form FSA-669A. The form and other valuable information about FSA county committee elections are available online at: www.fsa.usda.gov.
Nomination forms for the 2009 election must be postmarked or received at the Franklin County USDA Service Center by close of business on Aug. 3.
FSA county committee members make decisions on disaster and conservation programs, emergency programs, commodity price support loan programs and other important agricultural issues. Members serve three-year terms.
Nationwide, there are more than 7,800 farmers and ranchers serving on FSA county committees. Committees consist of three-to-five members who are elected by eligible local producers.
FSA will mail ballots to producers beginning on Nov. 6. The voted ballots are due back to the local county office either via mail or in person by Dec. 7.
Newly elected committee members and alternates take office Jan. 1, 2010.
For more information on FSA programs and the county committee elections, visit the agency’s website at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov.