In this Issue:
VEGETABLE NEWS
NEWS YOU CAN USE
USDA-Farm Service Agency Encourages Minority and Women Farmers and Ranchers to Participate in County Committee Elections
STRAWBERRY NEWS
APPLE NEWS
Apple Pest Focus: Dogwood Borer (Synanthedon scitula)
| Vol 4 No. 4 | June 1, 2007 |
USDA-Farm Service Agency Encourages Minority and Women Farmers and Ranchers to Participate in County Committee Elections
The election of agricultural producers to the Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Committees (COC) is important to ALL farmers and ranchers with large or small operations. It is crucial that every eligible producer in Minnesota participate in COC elections because FSA county committees are a direct link between the agricultural community and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Minority and women farmers are encouraged to participate in COC election to represent the interest of underserved farmers and ranchers in their counties.
County committees oversee local FSA operations and make important decisions about the administration of commodity, disaster, conservation, and loan programs in their communities. This grassroots approach gives Minnesota farmers and ranchers a much-needed say in how Federal actions affect their communities and their individual operations. County Committee remains a cornerstone of FSA's efforts to preserve and promote Minnesota’s agriculture. Given the critical role county committees play in local agriculture, FSA is calling for increased participation of all Minnesota farmers and ranchers in the county committee election process that begins on June 15, 2007.
From June 15 through August 1, eligible farmers and ranchers can be nominated as a candidate for their local FSA county committee. Each County Committee is composed of 3-5 elected members, each serving a three-year term. Every COC member represents producers in a predetermined portion of the county known as a Local Administrative Area (LAA).
Names for candidacy are submitted using the FSA 669-A form which is available at any FSA office or on-line at www.fsa.usda.gov/pas/publications/elections. Nomination forms must be signed by the nominee, and returned to the FSA office or postmarked before August 1, 2007. Creating a list of candidates for each ballot depends on the all important nomination process that begins June 15, 2007. Minnesota farmers and ranchers are encouraged to reach out to small and underserved farmers within their communities and develop diverse groups of nominees to run for FSA County Committee members.
Before ballots can be distributed, a slate of eligible candidates must be established. Minnesota State FSA urges producers to create a diverse list of candidates so their COC election can yield the best possible representation for their communities.
Beginning November 2, 2007 ballots are mailed to eligible producers in a voting LAA with clear instructions for filling out and returning the ballot in a timely manner. December 3, 2007 is the last day to return voted ballots to the USDA Service Centers.
Who Can Vote
Agricultural producers of legal voting age can vote if they participate or cooperate in any FSA program. A person who is not of legal voting age but supervises and conducts the farming operations of an entire farm can also vote. More information about voting eligibility requirements can be found in the FSA fact sheet titled "FSA County Committee Election - Eligibility to Vote and Hold Office as a County Committee Member". Every member of an American Indian tribe is eligible to vote: If agricultural land is tribally owned or held in trust for the tribe by the U.S.; and meets eligibility requirements. Minority advisors are recommended by county committee or community-based organization. They are appointed by FSA state committee. Minority advisors give voice to minority and women producers. Producers may contact their local USDA Service Center for more information.
Important Dates to Remember for COC Elections
- June 15, 2007: Nomination period begins.
- August 1, 2007: Last day to file nomination forms at the USDA Service Center.
- November 2, 2007: Ballots mailed to eligible voters.
- December 3, 2007: Last day to return voted ballots to the USDA Service Center.
- January 1, 2007: Elected committee members and alternates take office.
For further question contact your local USDA Service Center or call Minnesota State FSA Office in St. Paul at 651-602-7000. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Co-Editors: Bill Hutchison (hutch002@umn.edu), Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, Jeanne Ciborowski, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Ag. Resources Management and Development Division, and Suzanne Wold-Burkness (woldx018@umn.edu), Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota
The Newsletter is published weekly from May through August, cooperatively, by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the University of Minnesota (U of MN). Reports are posted on the U of MN and MDA web sites on Fridays. If you have suggestions and/or comments, please send your contributions by 4 p.m., Wednesday to Jeanne Ciborowski, 651-201-6217, jeanne.ciborowski@state.mn.us , MDA, 625 Robert St. North, St. Paul, MN 55155. You can access the Newsletter at the U of MN web site in htm format at: www.vegedge.umn.edu/MNFruit&VegNews/mnindex.htm and at the MDA web site in pdf format at: www.mda.state.mn.us/plants/pestmanagement/ipm/ipmnews.htm
Partial funding for this publication is provided through partnership agreements with the Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (MFVGA) and the United States Department of Agriculture – Risk Management Agency (RMA). These institutions are equal opportunity providers.
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Last Revised May, 2007 by woldx018@umn.edu
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