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Veneman announces FSA county committee elections process
Secretary of Agriculture Ann M. Veneman announced that the county committee election process has begun and that America's farmers, ranchers and other agricultural producers are urged to nominate local producers to serve on USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Committees.
"County committees play an important role in the local implementation and oversight of FSA programs," said Veneman. "We urge all producers to participate in local county committee elections."
Farmers who serve on county committees help to ensure FSA agricultural programs adequately serve the needs of local producers. Committees make decisions on county commodity price-support loan eligibility, establishment of allotments and yields, conservation programs, disaster programs, employment and other issues. USDA is implementing an enhanced outreach program to encourage greater participation in the county election process by socially disadvantaged and minority farmers.
Any agricultural producer, who resides within the local administrative area from which a member of his or her county committee is being elected, or who is participating or cooperating in an FSA program, may become a nominee. The following are specific examples of persons who may be eligible to participate in the election process if they participate or cooperate in an FSA program: an owner, operator, tenant, or sharecropper; a spouse listed on the property deed; the spouse of an eligible voter in a community property state; a member of an Indian tribe holding agricultural land; a partner in a general partnership or member of a joint venture that has an interest in a farm as an owner, operator, tenant, or sharecropper; and someone who is not of legal voting age, but who supervises and conducts the farming operations on an entire farm.
Individuals may nominate themselves or others as a candidate. In addition, eligible candidates can be nominated by community-based organizations in the county or area before the close of the nomination period, especially groups representing socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers. Nominations and elections are open to all eligible candidates and voters without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status or disability. FSA is committed to promoting diversity on its local county committees so all producers, including minority, female and other under-represented people, have a say in how the Agency's programs are administered locally.
Producers should keep in mind several important dates regarding country committee elections. Beginning July 15, 2004, producers can request, fill out and submit nomination forms. Sept. 3, 2004, is the last day to file nomination forms. Ballots will be mailed to eligible voters on or before Nov. 8, 2004. To receive a ballot by mail, voters must register with their local FSA offices by Oct. 1, 2004. Eligible voters may also obtain ballots by visiting their local FSA offices. Dec. 6, 2004, is the deadline to return ballots. Elected committee members and alternates take office on Jan. 1, 2005.
The COC system was first established in 1936 and is authorized by the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act. Today, there are more than 8,000 committee members serving three-year terms in 2,300-plus county offices nationwide. Every year, elections are held for approximately one-third of these seats.
Nomination forms (FSA-669A) can be obtained from local FSA offices or USDA Service Centers or online at http://forms.sc.egov.usda.gov/eforms/mainservlet. Details on FSA COC elections can be found on the Internet at: www.fsa.usda.gov/pas/publications/elections.
Date: 7/20/04
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