FSA county committee nominations being accepted

SPRINGFIELD — Farmer and rancher candidate nominations are now being accepted for local Farm Service Agency county committees. The nomination period continues through Aug. 3, and elections take place this fall.

“Participation from farmers and ranchers is essential to the election process to ensure that FSA county committees represent the interests of all producers in our area,” said Illinois Farm Service Agency Acting State Executive Director Charles Chadwell. “I encourage agricultural producers throughout Illinois counties to nominate eligible candidates of their choice, especially minorities and women, to serve on their (the) local county committees.”

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.

Producers may also nominate themselves, and organizations representing minority and women may also nominate candidates. Forms and other valuable information about FSA county committee elections are available online at:. http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA.

Nomination forms for the 2009 election must be postmarked or received in the local 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.