FSA News & Views

 

December 2, 2020



FSA Encourages farmers and ranchers

to vote in County Committee Elections

The 2020 Farm Service Agency County Committee Elections began on Nov. 2, 2020, when ballots were mailed to eligible voters. The deadline to return ballots to local FSA offices, or to be postmarked, is Dec. 7, 2020.

County committee members are an important component of the operations of FSA and provide a link between the agricultural community and USDA. Farmers and ranchers elected to county committees help deliver FSA programs at the local level, applying their knowledge and judgment to make decisions on commodity price support programs, conservation programs, incentive indemnity and disaster programs for some commodities, emergency programs and eligibility. FSA committees operate within official regulations designed to carry out federal laws.

To be an eligible voter, farmers must be an operator or owner on a farm. A person who is not of legal voting age but supervises and conducts the farming operations of an entire farm, may also be eligible to vote.

Eligible voters in Local Administrative Area #1, who do not receive a ballot can obtain one from their local USDA Service Center.

Newly elected committee members will take office Jan. 1, 2021. The candidates in this year’s election are:

• Lisa Geier is nominated in LAA #1, Edmunds County, to serve as COC member for a 3-year term beginning January 1, 2021.

Lisa has resided in LAA#1 her entire life. She was raised on a farm northeast of Bowdle to Francis and Sandy Heilman. She has one brother, Lyle of Bowdle and one sister, Lori of Warner. She married James Geier Jr and they farm seven miles north of Bowdle. They have three children: Joseph is 22, Krystal is 18 and Lindsey is 12. They have a cow/calf operation and raise yearlings and chickens. They have grown alfalfa, wheat, oats, corn and soybeans for 25 years. In addition to being a full-time farm wife and mom, Lisa works part time at the Bowdle Healthcare Center as an RN/EMT.

Lisa has been a member of the Edmunds County Committee for the past three years. She is willing to serve if re-elected.

• Joshua Heinrich is nominated in LAA#1, Edmunds County, to serve as COC member for a 3-year term beginning January 1, 2021.

Joshua resides in LAA#1 and has produced crops for 1 year on his own, as he is a first-time farmer.  Joshua has been a part of his late father, Gordon Heinrich’s farming operation for many years.

Joshua moved back to the farm where he grew up in March 2020 when he took over his father’s farm. Joshua, his wife, Sarah and kids, Vaughn and Maiya, formerly lived near Annandale, Minn., and are happy to be living back in South Dakota.

Joshua is willing to serve, if elected, and eager to learn as much as he can from the COC so that new and valuable information can be brought back to the local farmers and ranchers in his area.

More information on county committees, such as the new 2020 fact sheet, can be found on the FSA website at fsa.usda.gov/elections or at a local USDA Service Center.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

 

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