LEWISTON – Androscoggin/Sagadahoc and Oxford County USDA Farm Service Agency County Executive Director Marcia Hall has announced that the nomination period for local FSA county committees began on June 15. Nomination forms must be postmarked or received in the Androscoggin/Sagadahoc and Oxford County FSA Office by close of business on Aug. 3.

To be eligible to serve on the 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.

This year, nominations and elections in Androscoggin/Sagadahoc County will be held in LAA No. 3, which includes Livermore Falls, Leeds, Greene, Wales, Lewiston, Lisbon and Sabattus and in LAA No. 4 which includes Richmond and Bowdoin. In Oxford County there will be nominations and elections held in LAA No. 3 which includes West Paris, Sumner, Hartford, Buckfield, Paris, Hebron, Oxford and Otisfield.

Producers may nominate themselves or others as candidates. Organizations representing minority and women farmers and ranchers may also nominate candidates. To become a nominee, eligible individuals must sign form FSA-669A. The form and more information about county committee elections is available online at: www.fsa.usda.gov/elections.

Elected county committee members serve a three-year term and are responsible for making decisions on FSA disaster, conservation, commodity and price support programs, as well as other important federal farm program issues. County committees consist of three to 11 members.

FSA will mail election ballots to eligible voters beginning Nov. 9. Ballots are due back in the Androscoggin/Sagadahoc and Oxford County Office by mail or in person no later than Dec. 7, 2015. All newly elected county committee members and alternates will take office Jan. 1, 2016.

FMI: Androscoggin/Sagadahoc 207-753-9400, ext. 2; Oxford 207-743-5789, ext. 2; www.fsa.usda.gov/elections.