USDA encourages farmers and ranchers to make their voices heard by voting in the upcoming Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Committee elections. Monday, Nov. 7, USDA began mailing ballots to eligible farmers and ranchers across the country. Producers must return ballots to their local FSA offices by Dec. 13 to ensure that 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.
The candidates in this year’s election are:
Billy H. Carr is nominated in LAA 1, Braxton County, to serve as a committee member. Carr has operated a cattle farm for 55 years.
John D. Wayne is nominated in LAA 1, Braxton County, to serve as a committee member. Wayne operates a cattle farm and has been involved in farming for over 25 years. He is an active member of the local Farm Bureau.
John W. Snyder is nominated in LAA 4, Nicholas County, to serve as a committee member. Snyder has been farming for 14 years. He operates a poultry farm, produces garden crops and sells bakery products. He is active with Summersville and Fayetteville Farmers Market.
Marcia Brown is nominated in LAA 4, Nicholas County, to serve as a committee member. Mrs. Brown has produced hay and pasture for 36 years and is a beef cattle producer.
Producers must participate or cooperate in an FSA program to be eligible to vote in the county committee election. 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.
Farmers and ranchers should have begun receiving their ballots the week of Nov. 7. 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 in local administrative areas 1 and 4 who did not receive a ballot can pick one up at their local FSA office. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked no later than Dec. 13, 2016. Newly elected committee members will take office Jan. 1, 2017.
For more information, visit the FSA website at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections or contact the Braxton-Clay-Nicholas-Webster Counties FSA Office at (304)-364-5103.
