December 5 is the Last Day to Return Ballots
The Dalles, OR, Nov. 16, 2022 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has started mailing ballots for the Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committee elections to eligible farmers and ranchers across the country. To be counted, ballots must be returned to the local County FSA office or postmarked by Dec. 5, 2022.
“FSA county committee members provide valuable knowledge and judgment as decisions are made about the services we provide, including disaster and safety-net programs,” said Lissa Biehn, county executive director for Wasco County, but speaking on behalf of all the local county committees. “Please take a few minutes to review your ballot and make your selection prior to the Dec. 5 deadline.”
Each committee has from three to 11 elected members who serve three-year terms of office, and at least one seat is up for election each year for a certain Local Administrative Area (LAA). Newly elected committee members will take office Jan. 1, 2022. Locally elected county committee members help FSA make important decisions on its commodity support programs, conservation programs, indemnity and disaster programs, and emergency programs and eligibility.
The nominees up for election in Wasco County LAA 3, which includes South Wasco County, from Tygh Valley to Antelope, are Timothy J Morelli and Mary A Forman.
The nominees up for election in Jefferson County LAA 1, which covers the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs, are Alfredine Smith, Shirley Allen and Dustin Suppah.
The nominees up for election in Sherman County LAA 1, which includes North Sherman County, including Biggs, Rufus and Wasco, is Harry Macnab.
The nominees up for election in Gilliam County LAA 1, which covers North Gilliam County is Heidi Lane.
Each candidate is nominated to serve as a committee member for a 3-year term.
Producers must participate or cooperate in an FSA program to be eligible to vote in the county committee election. A cooperating producer is someone who has provided information about their farming or ranching operation but may not have applied or received FSA program benefits. Also, for county committee elections, producers who are not of legal voting age, but supervise and conduct the farming operations of an entire farm, are eligible to vote.
Producers can find out if their LAA is up for election and if they are eligible to vote by contacting their local FSA county office. Eligible voters who do not receive a ballot in the mail can request one from their local FSA county office. Visit fsa.usda.gov/elections for more information.
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