The nomination period for the county committee election of the Freeborn County USDA Farm Service Agency begins Monday and ends Aug. 1, according to a press release. The election is applicable to county Area 1 and consists of the following townships: Bath, Geneva, Newry, Bancroft, Riceland and Moscow.

To be eligible to serve on an FSA county committee, a person must participate or cooperate in an agency administered program, be eligible to vote in a county committee election and reside in the local administrative area where they are nominated.

Farmers and ranchers may nominate themselves or others. Organizations representing minorities and women also may nominate candidates. To become a candidate, an eligible individual must sign a FSA-669A nomination form. The form and other information about FSA county committee elections are available online at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections. Nomination forms for the 2016 election must be postmarked or received in the local USDA Service Center by close of business on Aug. 1. Elections will take place in the fall.

FSA will mail ballots to eligible voters beginning Nov. 7. Ballots will be due back to the local county office either via mail or in person by Dec. 5. Newly-elected committee members and alternates take office on Jan. 1, 2017.

While FSA county committees do not approve or deny farm ownership or operating 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.

Nationwide, there are about 7,800 farmers and ranchers serving on FSA county committees.

Committees consist of three to 11 members that are elected by eligible producers.

For questions regarding the county committee, contact the Freeborn County FSA office at 507-373-7960.