FSA URGES FARMERS TO VOTE IN COUNTY COMMITTEE ELECTIONS BEGINNING MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2012

Published by Editor on November 5, 2012.
Published under Cocke County, Jefferson County, News, Sevier County

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USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Executive Director James Giffin announced that the 2012 FSA county committee election will begin on Monday, November 5. The deadline to return the ballots to the Jefferson/Sevier/Cocke County FSA office is December 3, 2012.

County committee members are an important component of the operations of FSA and provide a link between the agricultural community and USDA. Farmers and ranchers elected to county committees help deliver FSA programs at the local level, applying their knowledge and judgment to make decisions on commodity price support programs; conservation programs; incentive indemnity and disaster programs for some commodities; emergency programs and eligibility. FSA committees operate within official regulations designed to carry our federal laws.

To be an eligible voter, farmers must participate or cooperate in an FSA program. A person who is not of legal voting age, but supervises and conducts the farming operation of an entire farm may also be eligible to vote.

Eligible voters who do not receive ballots in the coming week can obtain ballots from their local USDA Service Center. Dec. 3, 2012, is the last day for voters to submit ballots in person to Jefferson/Sevier/Cocke USDA Service Center. Ballots returned by mail must also be postmarked no later than Dec. 3. Newly elected committee members and their alternates will take office Jan. 1, 2013.

Close to 7,700 FSA county committee members serve in the 2,244 FSA offices nationwide. Each committee consists of three to 11 members who serve three-year terms. Approximately one-third of county committee seats are up for election each year. More information on county committee, such as the new 2013 fact sheet and brochures, can be found on the FSA website at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/elections or at a local USDA Service Center.

For more information on these and other FSA programs, contact a local FSA service center or visit the FSA website at www.fsa.usda.gov.