FSA committee election nominations open next week

U.S. Department of Agriculture

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced that the nomination period for local Farm Service Agency county committees begins Monday, June 15.

“Through the county committees, farmers and ranchers have a voice. Their opinions and ideas get to be heard on federal farm programs,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “It is important for county committees to reflect America’s diversity, so I encourage all eligible farmers and ranchers, including beginning farmers, to get involved in this year’s elections. We’ve seen an increase in the number of nominations for qualified candidates, especially among women and minorities, and I hope that trend continues.”

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.

Several new committee members will be elected in north-central Montana due to term limits.

In Blaine County, incumbent John D. Tilleman cannot run for the committee this year as he has served three consecutive terms. The local advisory area up for election this year is Blaine County south of the Milk River to the west of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation.

In Hill County, the area up for election this year, currently served by Clarence “Fritz” Keller, is north of the Milk River east of Beaver Creek Highway — Montana Secondary Highway 232 — running east to the Blaine County line and south to Chouteau County.

Keller is not eligible to run again this year.

Chouteau County also will see a new committee members, as incumbent Mark Gasvoda is not eligible to run for a fourth term. The advisory area up for election begins at Loma, runs north to the Chouteau County-Hill County line and includes the area southeast of Big Sandy north of the Missouri River.

In Liberty County, the area up for election is the region of the county south of Chester. Craig Henke, the incumbent, has served the maximum nine-year term allowed and will not be running again.

Farmers and ranchers 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 Aug. 3.

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

While FSA county committees do not approve or deny farm ownership or operating loans, they make decisions on disaster and conservation programs, emergency programs, commodity price support loan programs and other agricultural issues. Members serve three-year terms. Nationwide, there are about 7,800 farmers and ranchers serving on FSA county committees. Committees consist of three to 11 members that are elected by eligible producers.

  MONTANA: A map and description of this year’s areas open for nomination are available on the Montana FSA web site at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/mt under “I want to.” Click on “View the 2015 Montana County Committee Election LAA Areas Open for Nominations.” For questions, contact your local FSA county office.

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Havre Daily News staff contributed to this report.