FLOYDADA, TX – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has started mailing ballots for the Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committee elections to eligible farmers and ranchers nationwide. To be counted, ballots must be returned to the Floyd County FSA office or postmarked by December 4, 2023.
“FSA county committee members provide valuable knowledge and judgment as decisions are made about the services we provide, including disaster and safety-net programs,” said CED Gerry Summers, County Executive Director for Floyd County. “Please take a few minutes to review your ballot and make your selection prior to the December 4 deadline.”
Each committee has from three to 11 elected members who serve three-year terms of office, and at least one seat is up for election each year for a certain Local Administrative Area (LAA). Newly elected committee members will take office Jan. 1, 2024. Floyd County Committee members help FSA make important decisions on its commodity support programs, conservation programs, indemnity and disaster programs, emergency programs, and eligibility.
Landon Lackey and Kirby Nixon have been nominated and are running in the 2023 election in LAA 2, which includes parts of Northeast Floyd County, Floydada, Cedar Hill, and Fairview communities.
Lackey is nominated to serve as a committee member for a 3-year term. He resides in Floydada and has produced wheat and cotton for several years.
Nixon has also been nominated to serve as a committee member for a 3-year term and resides in Floydada. He has produced wheat, cotton, and cattle for several years.
Producers must participate or cooperate in an FSA program to be eligible to vote in the county committee election. A cooperating producer has provided information about their farming or ranching operation to FSA, even if they have not applied for or received program benefits. Also, for county committee elections, producers who are not of legal voting age but supervise and conduct the farming operations of an entire farm are eligible to vote.
Producers can find out if their LAA is up for election and if they are eligible to vote by contacting their local FSA county office. Customers can locate their LAA through a new GIS locator tool at fsa.usda.gov/elections. Eligible voters who do not receive a ballot in the mail can request one from the Floyd County FSA office at 710 Matador Highway in Floydada.
