Farmers and ranchers in Butler-Beaver-Allegheny County received misprinted ballots for the 2017 Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committee election, originally set to close on Dec. 4.

Corrected ballots will be sent to eligible farmers and ranchers starting Jan. 5. Producers must return ballots to the FSA office by Feb. 2, 2018.

Ballots received before Dec. 4 will not be counted. Only the corrected ballots, mailed Jan. 5, 2018, will be counted. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked no later than Feb. 2.

FSA county committee members apply their knowledge and judgment to help FSA make important decisions on commodity support programs, conservation programs, indemnity and disaster programs, emergency programs and eligibility. Producers must participate or cooperate in an FSA program to be eligible to vote in the county committee election.

Farmers and ranchers who supervise and conduct the farming operations of an entire farm, but are not of legal voting age, also may be eligible to vote.

For more information, visit the FSA website at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections. You may also contact the Butler-Beaver-Allegheny County FSA office at 724-482-4800, Ext. 2.

Edward Huston II is the acting county executive director of the USDA Butler-Beaver-Allegheny County Farm Service Agency.