OXFORD – Marcia Hall, executive director of USDA’s Farm Service Agency in Oxford County, has announced that the 2008 agency county committee elections have started and ballots are being mailed to eligible voters. Dec. 1 is the deadline to return ballots to local agency offices.

“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,” said Hall.

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. Agricultural producers in each country submitted candidate names during the nomination period held last summer.

Eligible voters who do not receive ballots in the coming week can obtain ballots at their local USDA center. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked no later than Dec. 1. Newly elected committee members and alternates take office Jan. 1.

For more information about FSA county committees and FSA programs, visit http://www.fsa.usda.gov.