Farmers and ranchers need to serve on FSA committee

Nominations are now accepted for farmers and ranchers to serve on local U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees. These committees make important decisions about how federal farm programs are administered locally.

All nomination forms for the 2024 election, must be postmarked or received in the local FSA office, by Aug. 1.

“Serving on a Farm Service Agency County Committee is your chance to ensure that other producers who share your interests, your production practices and your perspective, are represented,” said FSA administrator Zach Ducheneaux.

Elections for committee members will occur in certain Local Administrative Areas (LAA). LAAs are elective areas for FSA committees in a single county or multi-county jurisdiction, and may include LAAs that are focused on an urban or suburban area.

Customers can locate their LAA through a geographic information system locator tool, available at fsa.usda.gov. Agricultural producers may be nominated for candidacy for the county committee if they participate or cooperate in a USDA program, and reside in the LAA that is up for election this year.

A cooperating producer is someone who has provided information about their farming or ranching operation to the FSA, even if they have not applied or received program benefits.

Individuals may nominate themselves or others, and qualifying organizations may also nominate candidates. The USDA encourages minority, women, urban, and beginning farmers or ranchers to nominate, vote and hold office.

The committees are made up of three to 11 members, who serve three-year terms. Committee members are vital to how the FSA carries out disaster recovery, conservation, commodity and price support programs, as well as making decisions on county office employment and other agricultural issues.