OXFORD – USDA Farm Service Agency Oxford County Executive Director Marcia Hall has announced that farmer and rancher candidate nominations will open Monday, June 15, for local Farm Service Agency county committees.

The nomination period will continue through Aug. 3, with elections taking place this fall. The election for Oxford County will be held in Local Administrative Area (LAA) 3.

“County committees are an important link between the farm community and the U.S. Department of Agriculture and give landowners, farmers and ranchers a better chance of having their opinions and ideas heard,” said Hall.

To be eligible to serve on a 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.

Producers may nominate themselves or others, and organizations representing minorities and women may also nominate candidates. To become a candidate, an individual must sign the nomination form, FSA-669A. The form and other information about elections are available online at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/elections.

Nomination forms must be postmarked or received in the local USDA Service Center by close of business on Aug. 3.

FSA will mail ballots beginning Nov. 6. They are due back to the local county office by Dec. 7. Newly elected committee members and alternates take office Jan. 1.

FSA news releases and media advisories are available on the Web at http://www.fsa.usda.gov.