Farmer and rancher candidate nominations begin June 15 for local Farm Service Agency county committees, according to Gary Wall, executive director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency in Colorado.

The nomination period continues through Aug. 3. Elections will be this fall.

To be eligible to serve on an FSA county committee, a person must participate or cooperate in a program administered by FSA, be eligible to vote in a county committee election and reside in the local administrative area in which the person is a candidate.

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Producers may also nominate themselves, and organizations representing minority and women may also nominate candidates. The form and other information is available at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=newsroom&subject=landing&topic=cce. Nomination forms for the 2009 election must be postmarked or received in the local USDA Service Center by close of business on Aug. 3.

FSA will mail ballots to producers beginning Nov. 6. The voted ballots are due back to the local county office either via mail or in person by Dec. 7. Newly elected committee members and alternates take office Jan. 1, 2010.