Farm Service Agency County Committee Ballots Due Dec. 5

From the USDA
 
Farm Service Agency begins mailing ballots Nov. 7 to eligible farmers and ranchers across the country for the 2016 Farm Service Agency County Committee elections.
 
Producers must return ballots to their local FSA offices by Dec. 5 to ensure their vote is counted. 

Nearly 7,700 FSA County Committee members serve FSA offices nationwide. Each committee has three to 11 elected members who serve three-year terms of office.
 
One-third of county committee seats are up for election each year. County committee members apply their knowledge and judgment to help FSA make important decisions on its commodity support programs, conservation programs, indemnity and disaster programs, and emergency programs and eligibility.
 
Producers must participate or cooperate in an FSA program to be eligible to vote in the county committee election. About 1.5 million producers are eligible to vote. Farmers and ranchers who supervise and conduct the farming operations of an entire farm, but are not of legal voting age, also may be eligible to vote.
 
Ballots include the names of candidates running for the local committee election. FSA has modified the ballot, making it easily identifiable and less likely to be overlooked.
 
Voters who do not receive ballots in the coming week can pick one up at their local FSA offices. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked no later than Dec. 5. Newly elected committee members will take office Jan. 1, 2017.
 
For more information, visit the FSA website at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections. You may also contact your local USDA Service Center or FSA office. Visit http://offices.usda.gov/ to find an FSA office near you.