FSA Urges Farmers to Vote for County Representation

Farmers and ranchers who want local input on federal farm programs are reminded to vote in the annual the USDA Farm Service Agency county committee elections. The ballots were sent out in the mail earlier this week Washington Farm Service Agency Outreach Coordinator Chris Bieker says

Bieker: "The reason that the Farm Service Agency County Committee elections are important is because this is an opportunity for farmers and ranchers to have an impact on federal farm programs. FSA County Committees help decide payments based on different prices that we might use in their disaster programs or different yields that might be used in most programs. Co. Committee members help hire the County Executive Directors for FSA. Right now our agency is hiring a lot of employees that will be county executive directors in our counties. County Committee members can also hear appeals, if their fellow producers have trouble with a decision that we as an agency make. Those County Committee members can hear appeals and even overturn decisions."

Producers must return ballots to their local FSA offices by December 5th. Bieker continues

Bieker: "It is really important that people vote whether they have one person on the ballot or multiple people on the ballot. The reason it is so important that they vote is it shows us that they care about who represents them at the local level. By voting they are showing that it is important to have a local voice."