PIERCE/NORFOLK – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director Shanna Schulz in Pierce/Madison County is reminding farmers, ranchers and landowners that nominations are now open for the 2024 FSA County Committee election.
The FSA County Committee candidate nomination period began on June 17, 2024. Nomination forms must be postmarked or received in the Pierce or Madison County FSA office by close of business on Aug. 1, 2024.
For election purposes, counties are divided into Local Administrative Areas (LAAs). 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 2024, an election will be held for the following: Pierce County, LAA 3, which includes: Blaine, Cleveland, Clover Valley, Pierce, Slough and South Branch townships.
Madison County, LAA 3, which includes: Deer Creek, Grove, Jefferson, Norfolk and Valley townships.
“Farmers and ranchers the above LAA’s are urged to participate in this year’s county committee elections. You can nominate yourself or others by the Aug. 1 deadline,” said Shulz. “County committees are unique to FSA and allow producers to have a voice on federal farm program implementation at the local level.”
Agricultural producers who participate or cooperate in a USDA program and reside in the LAA that is up for election this year may be nominated for candidacy for the county committee. Individuals may nominate themselves or others, and qualifying organizations may also nominate candidates. USDA encourages all producers, including minority producers, women, and begin- ning farmers or ranchers to nominate, vote and hold office. To become a candidate, an eligible individual must sign an FSA-669A nomination form. The form and other information about FSA county committee elections is available at fsa.usda.gov/elections.
FSA county committees make decisions on disaster and conservation programs, emergency programs, commodity price support loan programs and other agricultural issues. Committees consist of three to 11 members who are elected by eligible producers.
For more information on the FSA County Committee election, contact the Pierce County FSA office at (402) 329-4996, ext. 2 or the Madison County FSA office at (402) 371-5350, ext. 2.
