Nomination process ends for Farm Services panel

The nomination process for the FSA committee elections has been completed for this year. We appreciate the interest voters have shown in this process and congratulate the nominees on their appointment to the ballot.

FSA committees provide an important grassroots "connection" with USDA programs offered to the farm population of this area through programs like the Conservation Reserve Program, Commodity Loan and Loan Deficiency Payment efforts, Direct and Counter-cyclical Program, Supplemental Revenue Assistance, etc. This year, some additional disaster programs will likely also be included.

The election in Bourbon County this year involves the northeastern LAA (district) No. 2 which includes the townships of Timberhill, Freedom, Osage, Mill Creek and Scott north of Highway 54. The nominees (in alphabetical order) for this year include Donnie Brown, Beth Snyder and Brian Snyder. The incumbent for this position, Edward Karleskint, chose not to seek re-election.

Ballots will be mailed out in early November for return by Dec. 3 to complete the voting. All eligible voters are encouraged to mark their ballot when it is received and return it to their applicable office. All agricultural landowners and operators are eligible to vote and should contact their local office if a ballot is not received in the mail.

The Farm Service Agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

Candidates are considered without discrimination for any non-merit reason, such as race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital or familial status, disability, political affiliation, or membership or non-membership in an employee organization.

MORE HOT WEATHER: Some more moderate (and consequently more pleasant) temperatures for a few days this week were very welcome. Some of that sure-to-be refreshing rainfall, however, remains a bit elusive.

The challenge of producing this year's crops has not yet concluded.

From an historical perspective, the Palmer Drought Severity Index shows that this year's drought ranks fifth all-time in total area affected in the lower 48 states. The years still with the most in total states involved in drought include the nastiest, 1934, followed by 1939, 1954 and 1956.

The top 10 of the most widespread droughts is dominated by the 1930s which includes four of the 10 years (1931, 1934, 1936 and 1939). The 1950s -- the years my parents often talked about for hot and dry -- occupied only two spots, while no other decade appears more that once on the "Largest Droughts Since 1895" top 10 listing.

By the way, 79.9 percent of the continental U.S. was drought affected in 1934. This year so far, that percentage stands at 57.2 percent.

USDA continues working with state and local officials, as well as our federal partners, to make sure people have the necessary resources to recover from these challenges.

To learn more about USDA's disaster assistance, please visit http://www.usda.gov/disaster.

NOTE: CRP haying must be completed by Aug. 31. Contact your local FSA office to gain approval to hay up to half of the acreage on a CRP contract.