The Farm Service Agency begins its county committee elections today, with the mailing of ballots to eligible voters. Ballots must be returned to local FSA offices by Dec. 3.
The FSA, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, says eligible voters who don't receive a ballot in the mail should contact their local USDA service center.
To be an eligible voter, farmers and ranchers must participate or cooperate in an FSA program. A person not of legal voting age, but who supervises and conducts the farming operation of an entire farm, also may be eligible to vote.
Agricultural producers in each county nominated candidates during the nomination period, which ended Aug. 1. Newly elected committee members and their alternates take office Jan. 1.
The FSA is involved in disaster, commodity, conservation and farm loan programs, among many other things. FSA county committees don't approve or deny farm operating loans, but they do make decisions on many other programs and issues. Nationwide, about 7,700 farmers and ranchers serve in FSA county committees.
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More information: Click here or a local USDA Service Center.
