FSA County Committees & Crop Update

I'm Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

The nomination period for local FSA county committees begins June 15. Washington Farm Service Agency Executive Director Judy Olson explains why it is so important for farmers and ranchers to become involved in the nomination process.

OLSON: FSA is unique in the federal government that we have the ability for producers to elect three to five person county committees to ensure fair and equitable administration of our FSA programs. And this starts with the nomination process and obviously ends with the balloting that is done at the end of the year.

FSA has seen an increase in the number of nominations for qualified candidates, especially among women and minorities. 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. Producers may nominate themselves or other qualified candidates. Nominations must be received in the local USDA Service Center by August 3.

The most recent NASS crop condition report for Washington states that most crops are expected to require irrigation as dry conditions continue, and that while weather conditions provided ideal growing conditions for irrigated crops, dryland crops are showing increased heat stress more typical of mid-summer conditions. Wheat crops are beginning to turn gold, and cherry harvest is in full swing in the central part of the state.

That's Washington Ag Today.

I'm Lacy Gray with the Ag Information Network of the West.