Residents interested in serving on a federal farm committee have about two weeks to get their name on the ballot.

Wednesday, October 18, 2000

Residents interested in serving on a federal farm committee have about two weeks to get their name on the ballot.

The Gallia-Lawrence Farm Service Agency is looking for Lawrence County candidates for nomination to the FSA’s County Committee, agency director Jim Herrell said.

The committee is a group of county farmers or farm owners, currently three from Gallia County and two from Lawrence, who give local input when it comes to federal programs.

"The farm programs administered by us require local decisions be made," Herrell said. "Committee members are the ones who provide those decisions."

The committee is the local voice on the federal money, he said.

It meets twice a month.

To be eligible to serve as a committee member or alternate, a person must be an eligible voter and reside in the Local Administrative Area (LAA) – the townships listed – in which he or she is a candidate.

The FSA office will accept nominations through Oct. 30.

For this year’s election, ballots will be mailed to all eligible voters in the LAA in late November and must be returned to the FSA office by Dec. 4.

Herrell urged not only voter participation in the election but also nominations to serve on the county committee.

The FSA committee makes important decisions on the local administration of federal farm programs, such as commodity price support loans, establishing allotments and yields, eligibility for farm loans, conservation activities and disaster assistance, Herrell said.

So, it’s important that residents become informed voters, or potential committee members, if they are not already, he said.

For more information, call the Gallia-Lawrence Farm Service Agency office at 1-800-391-6638.