The Butler/Beaver/ Allegheny County USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) wants to remind farmers and landowners that local FSA county committee nominations began Wednesday.

Farmers and ranchers are urged to participate in this year’s county committee elections by nominating candidates by the Aug. 1 deadline.

County committees are a vital link between the farm community and the U.S. Department of Agriculture and provide a voice to landowners, farmers and ranchers so their opinions and ideas can be heard.

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.

Local administrative area’s (LAA) up for election in Butler/Beaver /Allegheny County are LAA-1 and LAA-5.

LAA-1 is comprised of the following Butler County townships: Mercer, Slippery Rock, Marion, Venango, Allegheny, Parker, Washington, Brady, Worth, Cherry, Clay, Concord and Fairview.

LAA-5 consists of the following Beaver County townships: Greene, Potter, Raccoon, Center, Hanover, Independence and Hopewell, and all of Allegheny County.

Farmers and ranchers may nominate themselves or others, and organizations representing minorities and women may also nominate candidates.

To become a candidate, an eligible individual must sign the nomination form, FSA-669A.

The form and other information about FSA county committee elections are available online at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections.

Nomination forms for the 2011 election must be postmarked or received in the local USDA Service Center by the close of business on Aug. 1, 2011.

Elections will take place this fall.

While FSA county committees do not approve or deny loans, they make decisions on disaster and conservation programs, emergency programs, commodity price support loan programs and other agricultural issues.

Members serve three-year terms. Nationwide, there are about 7,800 farmers and ranchers serving on FSA county committees.

Committees consist of three to 11 members that are elected by eligible producers.

FSA will mail ballots to eligible voters beginning Nov. 4. The ballots are due back to the local county office either via mail or in person by Dec. 5. Newly elected committee members and alternates take office on Jan. 2, 2012.

For all FSA news releases and media advisories visit www.fsa.usda.gov.

Luke Fritz is executive director of the Butler County Farm Service Agency.