The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency encourages all farmers, ranchers, and FSA program participants to take part in the Butler-Beaver-Allegheny County Committee election nomination process.

FSA's county committees are a critical component of the day-to-day operations of FSA and allow grassroots input and local administration of federal farm programs.

Committees are comprised of locally elected agricultural producers responsible for the fair and equitable administration of FSA farm programs in their counties. Committee members are accountable to the Secretary of Agriculture. If elected, members become part of a local decision making and farm program delivery process.

A county committee is composed of three to 11 elected members from local administrative areas (LAA). Each member serves a three-year term. One-third of the seats on these committees are open for election each year.

Each year, an election is held in an LAA where a committee member's three-year term is expiring. For 2019, an election will be held in Butler-Beaver-Allegheny County LAA 2 and LAA4.

LAA2 includes Butler County townships of Lancaster, Muddy Creek, Center, Franklin, Donegal, Oakland, Butler, Connoquenessing, Clearfield, and Summit. LAA4 includes Beaver County townships of Darlington, North Sewickley, Marion, Franklin, South Beaver, Chippewa, Daugherty, Rochester, New Sewickley and Brighton.

County committees may have an appointed adviser to further represent the local interests of underserved farmers and ranchers. Underserved producers are beginning, women and other minority farmers and ranchers and landowners and/or operators who have limited resources.

All nomination forms for the election must be postmarked or received in the local USDA service center by Aug. 1.

For more information on FSA county committee elections and appointments, refer to the FSA fact sheet: Eligibility to vote and hold office as a COC Member available online at: fsa.usda.gov/elections.