FSA county committee voting opens Nov. 4

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Bob Forrest, St. Croix County executive director of USDA’s Farm Service Agency, announced that ballots for the 2011 FSA county committee election will be mailed to eligible voters Friday, Nov. 4.

The St. Croix County 2011 elections include Local Administrative Area 3 which includes the towns of Baldwin, Cady, Eau Galle, Hammond, Pleasant Valley, Rush River and Springfield. The deadline for eligible voters in those towns to return ballots to the FSA office is Monday, Dec. 5.

“The FSA county committee allows producers to make important decisions concerning the local administration of federal farm programs,” said Forrest. “I urge all eligible farmers, especially minorities and women, to get involved in their communities by voting in this year’s elections.”

To be an eligible voter, farmers must participate or cooperate in FSA programs and own or operate land in LAA3.

A person who is not of legal voting age, but supervises and conducts the farming operations of an entire farm, can also vote. Agricultural producers in each county submitted candidate names during the nomination period held last summer.

Eligible voters who do not receive a ballot can obtain ballots at the St. Croix County FSA office at 715-684-2874, ext. 2. Dec. 5 is the last day for voters to submit ballots in person to the USDA Service Center. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked no later than Dec. 5.

Committee members apply their knowledge and judgment to make decisions on disaster and conservation payments, establishment of allotments and yields, producer appeals, employing FSA county executive directors and other local issues. Newly elected committee members and alternates take office Jan. 1, 2012.

For more information about FSA county committees and FSA programs, visit: http://www.fsa.usda.gov

Tags: rural scene, agriculture, wisconsin