July 19, 2019
By: Dwayne Page
Donny Green, County Executive Director for the DeKalb/Cannon County Farm Service Agency, reminds DeKalb County and Cannon County farmers that the deadline to nominate candidates for the 2019 Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Committee Election is August 1.
“The election of knowledgeable agricultural producers to FSA county committees is important to all farmers and ranchers with large or small operations. It is crucial that every eligible producer take part in this election because county committees are a direct link between the farm community and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Farm Service Agency is unique because we have a grassroots farmer-elected committee that oversees and delivers farm programs at the local level,” says Green.
DeKalb County Local Administrative Area (LAA) # 3 will elect a representative in this year’s election and nominees must reside in LAA # 3, which generally covers the southeastern, eastern, and northeastern portions of DeKalb County including the Belk, Antioch, Keltonburg, Jefferson, Seven Springs, Student’s Home, Four Seasons, Bright Hill, Evins Mill, Sligo, Ragland Bottom, Johnson’s Chapel, Laurel Hill, Peeled Chestnut, Austin Bottoms, and Rock Castle communities.
Individuals may nominate themselves, or others, as a candidate. In addition, eligible candidates can be nominated by community-based and other organizations, especially groups representing socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers, in the county where the election is being held before the close of the nomination period. Nominations and elections are open to all eligible candidates and voters without regard to race, color, religion, nation origin, age, sex, marital status or disability. The nomination form (FSA-669A) is available at USDA Service Centers and online at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/elections.
Producers should remember the following dates regarding the upcoming county committee elections. Producers can request, complete, and submit nomination forms through August 1. Ballots will be mailed to eligible voters by November 4. The deadline to return ballots is December 2. Elected committee members and alternates take office on January 1, 2020.