Richmond County USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director Amy Hill Yaklin reminds Richmond County farmers and producers that local FSA county committee nominations begin on Wednesday.

Richmond County farmers and producers are urged to participate in county committee elections by nominating candidates by the August 1 deadline. This county committee is vital to the Richmond County farm community, providing a voice to landowners, farmers and producers to USDA.

To serve on the FSA Richmond County Committee, a person must participate or cooperate in a program administered by FSA, be eligible to vote in a Richmond County Committee election, and reside in the administrative area in which the person is a candidate.

Richmond County farmers and producers may nominate themselves or others. Organizations representing minorities and women may also nominate candidates. To become a candidate, an eligible individual must sign the nomination form, FSA-669A. The form and other information about the Richmond FSA County Committee elections are available online at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/elections. Nomination forms for the 2011 election must be postmarked or received in the Richmond County USDA Service Center by close of business on August 1. Elections take place this fall.

The FSA Richmond County Committee do not approve or deny 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. Committees consist of three to 11 members that are elected by eligible producers.

FSA will mail ballots to eligible voters beginning November 4. The voted ballots are due to the Richmond County office by mail or in person by December 5. Newly elected Richmond County Committee members and alternates take office on January 2, 2012. Contact the Richmond County FSA office at 123 Caroline Street, Rockingham, for more information, or call them at (910) 997-8255.