Farm Service Agency County Committee Nominations Accepted Through August 3rd

The nomination period for local Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees is underway now through August 3, 2015. County Committees make decisions on disaster and conservation programs, emergency programs, commodity price support programs and other agricultural issues. Members serve three-year terms.

In Franklin County, the election taking place is for a representative of the towns of Altamont, Bombay, Constable, Dickinson, Fort Covington, Hogansburg, Moira and Westville

This year in Clinton & Essex counties there are two areas up for election. One area consists of Beekmantown, Chazy and Plattsburgh. The second area is comprised of Crown Point, Elizabethtown, Essex, Moriah, Newcomb, North Hudson, Schroon, Ticonderoga and Westport.

To be eligible to serve on a FSA county committee, a person must participate or cooperate in an agency administered program, be eligible to vote in a county committee election and reside in the local administrative area where they are nominated.

Farmers may nominate themselves or others. Organizations representing minorities and women also may nominate candidates. To become a candidate, an eligible individual must sign an FSA-669A nomination form. The form and other information about FSA county committee elections are available at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/elections. Nomination forms for the 2015 election must be postmarked or received in the local USDA Service Center by close of business on Aug. 3, 2015.

Producers in Franklin County are encouraged to contact the Franklin County FSA office at 151 Finney Boulevard in Malone or calling 518-483-2850, option 2 for more information. Clinton & Essex County farmers can contact the Clinton-Essex FSA office by calling 518-561-4616, option 2 or visiting the office at 6064 Route 22, Plattsburgh.

FSA will mail election ballots to eligible voters beginning Nov. 9, 2015. Ballots will be due back to the local county office either via mail or in person by Dec. 7, 2015. Newly elected committee members and alternates will take office on Jan. 1, 2016.