The election for the Farm Service Agency county committee was conducted on Dec. 9 with the following results:

Elected for a three-year term in Local Administrative Area 2 was Norman Graham of Connoquenessing Borough. Janet Jesteadt of Muddy Creek Township was chosen as first alternate and Mary Bergbigler of Clearfield Township was chosen as second alternate.

Local Administrative Area 2 is composed of Lancaster, Muddy Creek, Center, Franklin, Donegal, Oakland, Butler, Connoquenessing, Clearfield and Summit townships.

Elected to a three-year term in Local Administrative Area 4 was Ronald Caldwell of North Sewickley Township. Robert McRoberts of Darlington Township was chosen as first alternate.

Local Administrative Area 4 comprises Beaver County townships.

Alternates for both LAAs are called upon for committee meetings and other assignments when the regular member is unable to attend.

Committee members are paid for their time and are reimbursed mileage expenses. FSA committee members are responsible for administering FSA programs in Butler, Beaver and Allegheny counties. Meetings are open to the public and are held at least monthly, sometimes more, depending upon program demand.

Next year, elections will take place in LAA 1 and LAA 5.

LAA 1 is composed of Mercer, Slippery Rock, Marion, Venango, Allegheny, Parker, Washington, Brady, Worth, Cherry, Clay, Concord and Fairview townships.

LAA 5 comprises Beaver and Allegheny county townships.

Sign up for the Ewe Lamb Replacement and Retention program is under way and will continue until further notice. The program has $18 million available for eligible sheep and lamb producers nationwide to encourage the replacement and retention of ewe lamb breeding stock.Applications must be filed at the FSA county office where the sheep operation is headquartered.Payments of up to $18 will be made for each eligible ewe lamb. If national application payments exceed funding, the payments may be lower.Eligibility requirements are as follows:Purchased or retained for breeding stock between Aug. 1, 2003, and July 31, 2004Be retained for one complete offspring lambing cycleNot have been older than 18 months as of Aug. 1, 2003Not have produced an offspring as of Aug. 1, 2003, or prior to purchase if purchased laterNot have received payment for the ewe lambs under the Lamb Meat Adjustment Assistance ProgramComply with all APHIS scrapie provisionsNot contain characteristics of parrot mouth, foot rot, or scrapie.Sheep and lamb operations that request payment under the program will be subject to spot checks.