The USDA Farm Service Agency reminds producers that the 2013 FSA County Committee Elections began this week with the mailing of ballots to eligible voters.  The deadline to return the ballots to local FSA offices is December 2, 2013.  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 and ranchers must participate or cooperate in an FSA program.  Agricultural producers in each county submitted candidate nominations during the nomination period, which ended on August 1^st.  Eligible voters who do not receive ballots in the coming week can obtain ballots from their local USDA Service Center.  Newly elected committee members and their alternates will take office Jan. 1, 2014.  More information on county committees can be found at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections.