Donny Green, County Executive Director of the DeKalb/Cannon County Farm Service Agency, announces that the 2018 FSA County Committee elections are underway as ballots were mailed to eligible voters in Local Administrative Area (LAA) # 1 (DeKalb County) and Local Administrative Area # 5 (Cannon County) on November 5th.

Dec. 8, 2018 will be the last day to postmark voted ballots returned by mail, or to deliver voted ballots to the local FSA office.  

Randall West and Jimmy Womack are candidates nominated for LAA # 1 (DeKalb Co.). Both candidates have been certified as eligible candidates. Randall West is currently completing his first 3-year term on the DeKalb FSA County Committee. Both Mr. West and Mr. Womack operate beef cattle farms in the Jacobs Pillar community.

Robert “Bob” Melton is the only candidate nominated for LAA # 5 (Cannon Co.). Bob has been certified as an eligible candidate. Mr. Melton is a retired Cannon County vocational agriculture teacher and operates a livestock farm in the Hollis Creek area of Cannon County. Bob is completing his first 3-year term on the DeKalb/Cannon FSA County Committee.

Write-in nominations can be accepted on ballots. However, the write-in nominee must meet eligibility criteria and attest to his or her willingness to serve, if elected, by signing a nominating petition. Agricultural producers were encouraged to submit candidate names during the nomination period that ended August 1, 2018.    

“The FSA county committee system is unique among government agencies, because it allows producers to make important decisions concerning the local administration of federal farm programs. All eligible farmers and ranchers, especially minorities and women, are encouraged to get involved and make a real difference in their communities by voting in this year's elections,” says Green.

To be an eligible voter, farmers and ranchers must participate or cooperate in FSA programs.  A person who is not of legal voting age but supervises and conducts the farming operations of an entire farm can also vote. 

Eligible voters in DeKalb County LAA # 1 or Cannon County LAA # 5 who did not receive a ballot can obtain a ballot at their local USDA Service Center.  December 3, 2018 is the last day for voters to submit ballots in person to local USDA Service Centers.  Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked no later than December 3, 2018.  The DeKalb/Cannon FSA County Committee will meet on December 4, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. to canvass and tabulate the ballots. This meeting is open to the public. The newly elected committee member and alternates take office Jan. 1, 2019.