The election for the Farm Service Agency county committee members to represent producers in Local Administrative Area Number 3 was held on Thursday, with the following results.

Lorraine A. Thiele was elected for a three-year term as the committee member and James L. Kennedy was chosen by write-in as first alternate. LAA 3 in Butler County consists of Cranberry, Jackson, Adams, Forward, Middlesex, Penn, Clinton, Jefferson, Buffalo and Winfield townships.

Committee members are paid for their time and mileage expenses. FSA committee members are responsible for administering FSA programs in Butler, Beaver and Allegheny Counties. Alternates are called upon for committee meetings and other assignments when the regular member is unable to attend. A locally elected FSA committee serves each agricultural county in the nation.

Meetings are open to the public and are held at least quarterly, but sometimes more often depending upon program demand. The Butler-Beaver-Allegheny FSA office is staffed by four employees who conduct day-to-day operations for the committee.

Commodity loans

Time is running out, with Tuesday being the last day to request a loan to be disbursed in the 2015 calendar year.

Considering fall harvest is nearly completed, some producers might want to take advantage of the Marketing Assistance Loan Program. These are nine-month loans that provide capital to an operation at a very low interest rate, currently at 1.375 percent.

Corn and soybeans stored on the farm is the collateral. Grain under loan can be fed or sold. High moisture corn is eligible, however corn silage is not.

Contact the FSA office for more information.

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