November 16, 2023
By:
Donny Green, County Executive Director of the DeKalb/Cannon County Farm Service Agency, announces that the 2023 FSA County Committee elections are underway as ballots were mailed to eligible voters in Local Administrative Area (LAA) # 2 (DeKalb County) and Local Administrative Area # 4 (Cannon County) on November 6.
December 4, 2023 will be the last day to postmark voted ballots returned by mail, or to deliver voted ballots to the local FSA office.
The following candidates were nominated, and determined eligible, as candidates in the 2023
LAA # 2 and LAA # 4 elections:
Local Administrative Area # 2 (DeKalb County)—Grant Williams. Mr. Williams resides in the Dale Ridge Community where he owns and operates a beef cattle and hay farm. He is currently completing his 2nd term on the DeKalb-Cannon FSA County Committee.
Local Administrative Area # 4 (Cannon County)—Terry Young. Mr. Young resides in the Woodland Community where he owns and operates a row crop farm. He is currently completing his 1st. term on the DeKalb-Cannon FSA County Committee. Previously, Mr. Young served his maximum of 9 consecutive years on the DeKalb-Cannon FSA County Committee and was eligible to serve again in 2021.
Write-in nominations can be accepted on ballots. However, the write-in nominee must meet eligibility criteria and attest to his or her willingness to serve, if elected, by signing a nominating petition. Agricultural producers were encouraged to submit candidate names during the nomination period that ended August 1, 2023.
“The FSA county committee system is unique among government agencies, because it allows producers to make important decisions concerning the local administration of federal farm programs. All eligible farmers and ranchers, especially minorities and women, are encouraged to get involved and make a real difference in their communities by voting in this year’s elections,” says Green.
To be an eligible voter, farmers and ranchers must participate or cooperate in FSA programs. A person who is not of legal voting age but supervises and conducts the farming operations of an entire farm can also vote.
Eligible voters in DeKalb County LAA # 2 or LAA # 4 who did not receive a ballot can obtain a ballot at their local USDA Service Center. December 4, 2023 is the last day for voters to submit ballots in person to local USDA Service Centers. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked no later than December 4, 2023. The DeKalb/Cannon FSA County Committee will meet on December 12, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. to canvass and tabulate the ballots. This meeting will be held at the Smithville USDA Service Center and is open to the public. The newly elected committee members and alternates take office January 1, 2024.