FSA ENCOURAGES FARMERS AND RANCHERS TO VOTE IN COUNTY COMMITTEE ELECTIONS

The 2023 Farm Service Agency County Committee Elections will begin on Nov. 6, 2023, when ballots are mailed to eligible voters. The deadline to return ballots to local FSA offices, or to be postmarked, is Dec. 4, 2023.

County committee members are an important component of the operations of FSA and provide a link between the agricultural community and USDA. Farmers and ranchers elected to county committees help deliver FSA programs at the local level, applying their knowledge and judgment to make 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, farmers and ranchers must:

• Be of legal voting age or, if not of legal voting age, supervise and conduct the farming operation of an entire farm.

• Have an interest in a farm or ranch as either: o An individual who meets one or more of the following: - Is eligible and capable to vote in one’s own right.

- Is a partner of a general partnership.

- Is a member of a joint venture.

• Participates or cooperates in any FSA program that is provided by law. A cooperating producer is someone who has provided information to FSA about their farming or ranching operation(s) but may not have applied or received program benefits.

Eligible voters in Local Administrative Area #2, who do not receive a ballot can obtain one from their local FSA county office. Customers can identify which LAA they or their farming operation is in by using our new GIS locator tool available at fsa.usda.gov/elections.

Newly elected committee members will take office Jan. 1, 2024.

The candidates in this year’s election are: Jebediah Malone is nominated in LAA #2, Murray County, to serve as a committee member for a 3-year term. Malone’s address is Slayton and he has produced corn and soybeans for 6 years.

Lynn Miller is nominated in LAA #2, Murray County, to serve as a committee member for a 3-year term. Miller’s address is Garvin and has produced corn and soybeans with her husband Rick for 32 years.

More information on county committees can be found at fsa.usda.gov/elections or by contacting the Murray County FSA office.