U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director Braden Stueve in Dickinson County reminds farmers and landowners that FSA is hosting an informational meeting regarding the 2019 County Committee Election process on June 12, 2019, at 9:00 a.m. at the Dickinson County FSA Office located at 328 NE 14th ST in Abilene. Producers, including minority, women and new farmers, are encouraged to attend the meeting and participate in the 2019 election.

The county committee nomination period begins on June 14, 2019. Nomination forms must be postmarked or received in the Dickinson County FSA office by close of business on Aug. 1, 2019.

For election purposes, counties are divided into local administrative areas (LAA). Each LAA nominates and elects one producer to serve a three-year term on the FSA county committee.

Each year, an election is held in an LAA where a committee member’s three-year term is expiring. For 2019, an election will be held in LAA 3, which includes: Wheatland, Jefferson, Ridge, Union, Holland, Banner, Hope, and Lyon townships.

“Farmers and ranchers in LAA 3 are urged to participate in this year’s county committee elections by nominating candidates by the Aug. 1, 2019, deadline,” said Stueve. “County committees are unique to FSA and allow producers to have a voice on federal farm program implementation at the local level.”

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 LAA in which the person is a candidate.

Farmers and ranchers may nominate themselves or others. Organizations representing minorities and women also may nominate candidates. To become a candidate, an eligible individual must sign an FSA-669A nomination form. The form and other information about FSA county committee elections are available at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections. Nomination forms must be postmarked or received in the local USDA service center by close of business on Aug. 1, 2019.

Nationwide, more than 7,700 dedicated members of the agricultural community serving on FSA county committees. The committees are made of three to 11 members and typically meet once a month. Members serve three-year terms. Producers serving on our FSA county committees play a critical role in the day-to-day operations of the agency.

Persons with disabilities who require accommodations to attend or participate in this meeting should contact Branden Stueve at 785-263-1351, ext. 221, or Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339, by June 12, 2019.