The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Farm Service Agency are now accepting nominations for farmers and ranchers to join local FSA county committees.
These committees play a crucial role in making decisions regarding the administration of federal farm programs at the local level.
All nomination forms must be submitted or postmarked by August 1st.
Elections for community members will take place in designated Local Administrative Areas, which are specific regions within a county or multiple counties and may include urban or suburban areas.
Customers can find their Local Administrative Areas using a geographic information system locator tool available at fsa.usda.gov/elections or by contacting their local FSA office to see if their Local Administrative Areas are up for election.
Agricultural producers can be nominated for the county committee if they either participate in or cooperate with a USDA program or reside in the Local Administrative Areas up for election this year.
A cooperating producer is someone who has shared information about their farming or ranching operations with the FSA, regardless of whether they have applied for or received program benefits.
Individuals can nominate themselves or others, and qualifying organizations are also encouraged to nominate candidates.
The USDA urges minority, women, urban, and beginning farmers or ranchers to nominate, vote, and hold office.
