County committee expansion planned

Program Note: The deadline for filing a timely report of acres for this year is July 15. This is earlier than in the past. Call ahead for an appointment at (620) 223-1880.

From the USDA Newsroom: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced earlier this month that he intends to appoint voting members from socially disadvantaged (SDA) communities to serve on county committees in county jurisdictions that lack fair SDA representation.

USDA's Farm Service Agency, which works collaboratively with county committees, published this interim rule on June 4 in the Federal Register that is open for public comment for 60 days.

County committees have served as a direct link between the farm community and USDA for more than 75 years, helping to deliver FSA farm programs at the local level. Eligible farmers serving on committees provide feedback to USDA on the types of FSA agricultural programs that best serve the needs of local producers and help to deliver those programs locally through the FSA offices.

"As we continue to build a USDA that is responsive to the needs of an evolving 21st century agricultural economy, we must ensure a strong and sustainable future for these important committees," said Vilsack. "Appointing new voting members to committees that lack representation will help ensure that county committees continue to play a vital and relevant role in delivering important federal farm programs to citizens of rural communities across our nation."

County committees were formed in the 1930s to oversee federal farm programs, a tool for grassroots engagement whereby locally elected committees give farmers effective self-government authority.

That authority continues today, making farmers primary stewards of farm programs passed by Congress, including administration and outreach to all farmers and ranchers in their area.

Secretarial appointments would add SDA voting members to county jurisdictional areas where representation is lacking, according to a statistical review conducted by USDA.

The appointments will supplement the existing election process where there are currently 7,700 elected county committee members representing 2,244 county jurisdictions.

"We are proud of the great diversity that makes up our rural communities," said FSA Administrator Bruce Nelson, "and appointing voting members to committees that lack representation is an important step in helping to maintain a robust county committee system for all producers."

Authority to appoint voting SDA members was granted in the 2002 Farm Bill passed by Congress. The interim rule allows the Secretary of Agriculture to ensure fair representation on county committees by appointing a voting member in areas identified under-representing the diversity of area producers.

Each year, USDA will conduct a fresh statistical analysis and appointments with voting authority will continue to occur in areas identified under-representing the diversity of area producers.

Prior to this upcoming change, SDA representatives have been appointed to serve in a non-voting advisory capacity to the FSA committees.

In Bourbon County, Gloria Luker is currently serving as an advisor representing the female segment of the farm population since none of the current elected members are women.

A copy of this interim rule is on view in the Federal Register. To submit comments, use any of the following methods: 1) go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. 2) Send comments by mail to c/o Barbara Boyd, Field Operations Program Manager, FSA, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Mail Stop 0542, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-0542. 3) Send comments by hand or courier delivering comments to the above address.

Nominations are currently being accepted for this year's election in Local Administrative Area 2 in Bourbon County composed of the townships of Timberhill, Freedom, Osage, Mill Creek and Scott north of U.S. Highway 54.

Anyone with an interest in a farm as owner, operator, or sharecropper is eligible to vote or run for office. Nominations require only one signature, and will be accepted through Aug. 1.

For more information about FSA County Committee elections, visit the FSA website at http://www.fsa.usda.gov. USDA is an equal opportunity employer, provider, and lender.