Source: USDA, 1/15/14

USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director, Bob Etheridge reminded farmers and area agricultural producers that this Friday, January 17 is the deadline to return completed election ballots to FSA. Eligible voters who have not received a ballot can obtain one from the local USDA Service Center. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked no later than January. 17.

County Committee members are important to the operations of FSA, providing a link between the agricultural community and USDA. Farmers and producers elected to the County Committee help deliver FSA programs at the local level, applying their knowledge and judgment to decisions on commodity price support programs; conservation programs; incentive indemnity and disaster programs for some commodities; emergency programs and eligibility. FSA committees operate within official regulations designed to carry out federal laws.

To be an eligible voter, area farmers and producers must participate or cooperate in an FSA program. A person not of legal voting age, but supervises and conducts the farming operations of an entire farm may also be eligible to vote. Agricultural producers submitted candidate nominations during the nomination period, which ended on August 1.

Close to 7,700 FSA county committee members serve in the 2,124 FSA offices nationwide. Each committee consists of three to 11 members who serve threeyear terms. Approximately onethird of county committee seats are up for election each year. Information on county committees, fact sheets and brochures, can be found at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections or at a USDA Service Center.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 202509410 or call (866) 6329992 (Tollfree Customer Service), (800) 8778339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 3778642 (Relay voice users).