ORIGINALLY WRITTEN BILL HARMON / FARM SERVICE AGENCY
With the ballot count now complete, Peabody farmer Eldon Andres has been elected to serve a second three-year term on the Farm Service Agency County Committee beginning in January 2007.
Andres joins other producer members David Mueller and Marvin Ratzlaff on the Marion County FSA Committee. Ruth Ann Carlson will continue as the committee’s minority adviser.
Producers who want to meet with the committee during 2007 should schedule their appointments by calling the county FSA office at 620-382-3714.
Farmer-elected county FSA committees serve as a vital link in the effective administration of U.S. Department of Agriculture programs. Committees are responsible to carry out federal farm programs in accordance with national guidelines and directives.
Duties include:
— Meeting periodically to make policy decisions, acting on cases involving individual farmers, and overseeing county office operations to assure funding is used effectively.
— Helping to ensure that farmers and the public understand FSA programs through an effective information plan.
— Offer policy recommendations to the state FSA committee.
— Conducting hearings and investigations requested by the agency.
— Supervising the annual FSA county committee election.
We appreciate the voters who participated in the recent election process. The county committee system can only work effectively with strong producer involvement.
Also, producers should be aware during any hazardous weather conditions in this winter season that FSA and Natural Recources Conservation Service management in local USDA Service Centers may have need at times to jointly determine the necessity for temporary closure of their offices to ensure the safety of employees as well as the public.
So, during intense sleet and snowfalls or other similar storm occurrences, please contact your county FSA office by calling 620-382-3714 prior to planning your actual visit to make certain personnel will be available to assist you with your business.
Bill Harmon is executive director of the Marion County FSA office in Marion.
