CARUTHERSVILLE- Pemiscot County USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director, Mike Blankenship, announced that county committee election nominations begin June 15, 2014. Farmers, ranchers and landowners are encouraged to nominate farmer and rancher candidates to serve on their local FSA county committee by the August 1, 2014 deadline.
Elected county committee members serve a three-year term and are responsible for making decisions on FSA disaster, conservation, commodity and price support programs, as well as other important federal farm program issues.
"County committees are unique to FSA and are a valuable resource that gives locally-elected farmers and ranchers who participate in FSA programs the opportunity to impact farm programs at the local level," said Blankenship. "I hope to see a high level of participation during the nomination and election process," he said.
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 the nomination form, FSA-669A. The form and other information about FSA county committee elections are available at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections. Nomination forms for the 2014 election must be postmarked or received in the local USDA Service Center by close of business on August 1, 2014. Elections will take place this fall.
"In order to have a fair representation of the demographics and agricultural interests in the community, I encourage all producers, including women, minority and beginning farmers and ranchers to participate in the nomination and election process," said Blankenship.