County producers have until Aug. 1 to submit FSA county committee nominations

From Enterprise Staff

Farmers and ranchers have until Aug. 1 to nominate candidates to serve on the Polk-San Jacinto County Farm Service Agency (FSA) Committee. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) accepts nominations each year in certain Local Administrative Areas (LAAs) for individuals to serve on these locally led committees.

“The Aug. 1 deadline is quickly approaching,” Reagan Robertson, executive director for FSA in Polk-San Jacinto Counties, said. “Committee members play a critical role in the day-to-day operations of the agency and are vital to how FSA carries out disaster programs, as well as conservation, commodity and price support programs. This is your opportunity to have a say in how federal programs are delivered in our county.”

This year FSA in Polk-San Jacinto Counties are accepting nominations in the following local administrative areas (LAA) for:

• LAA 1 -Polk County which runs west of Hwy. 59 and north of Hwy. 190 and includes Carmona, Onalaska, Moscow and Wakefield;

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• LAA 2 - Polk County which runs east of Hwy. 59, north of Hwy. 190 and south of Hwy. 190, east of FM 1276 to the county line and includes Barnes, Camden, Corrigan, Hortense, Ollie, Pluck and Skinner Town; and

• LAA 4 - San Jacinto County which runs west of Hwy. 59 and north of Hwy. 150 and includes Camilla, Coldspring, Evergreen, Maynard,Oakhurst, Point Blank, Pumpkin, Staley, Stephens Creek and Waverly.

Agricultural producers who participate or cooperate in a USDA program and reside in the LAAs up for election this year, may be nominated for candidacy for the county committee. A cooperating producer is someone who has provided information about their farming or ranching operation to FSA, even if they have not applied or received program benefits.

Nationwide, more than 7,700 dedicated members of the agricultural community serve on FSA county committees. The committees are made up of three to 11 members who serve three-year terms. Individuals may nominate themselves or others and qualifying organizations may also nominate candidates. USDA encourages minority producers, women and beginning farmers or ranchers to nominate, vote, and hold office.

Producers should contact their local FSA office today to register and find out how to get involved in their county’s election, including if their LAA is up for election this year. To be considered, a producer must be registered and sign an FSA-669A nomination form. Urban farmers should use an FSA-669-A-3 for urban county committees. The form and other information about FSA county committee elections are available at fsa.usda.gov/elections.  

Election ballots will be mailed to eligible voters beginning Nov. 7.