By James Beaty
The deadline is nearing for qualified voters to cast ballots for members who will serve on the local U.S. Farm Services Agency County Committee.
Ballots must be either cast or postmarked and mailed to the FSA office in McAlester no later than Dec. 7, according to FSA County Executive Director Carl Patterson.
The McAlester office covers FSA activities for agricultural producers in Pittsburg, Latimer and McIntosh counties.
“I encourage local producers to get involved and make a difference in the local agriculture industry by participating in the FSA County Committee election process,” Patterson said.
“FSA county committees play an important role in the decision-making process for commodity price support loans and payments, conservation and disaster programs and other important agricultural issues impacting their farming community,” he said.
The local FSA’s committee consists of five members who represent Pittsburg, Latimer and McIntosh counties. This year’s election is to elect a representative for Local Administrative Area 3, who will represent McAlester, Arpelar, Blanco, Haywood, Kiowa, Pittsburg, Savanna and the eastern half of Stuart.
Three candidates are on the ballot: Incumbent David Mabray, James Buckner and Louis Smitherman.
Those who are eligible to vote must either be agriculture producers — or tribal members, who are considered agricultural landowners and therefore are considered eligible to vote if their tribe owns agricultural land in the local administrative area, according to the FSA.
For example, members of the Choctaw Tribe would be eligible to vote, since the tribe owns agricultural land in Pittsburg County, according to Patterson.
Agricultural producers include those who produce hay, according to the FSA.
The FSA recently mailed ballots to all producers in Pittsburg County eligible to vote in the election, Patterson said.
Anyone who believes he or she is eligible to vote but has not received a ballot can contact the local FSA office at 423-4073 or can stop by the office at 200 S. Third St. in McAlester. They would be required to show proof of being an agriculture producer or belonging to a tribe with members eligible to vote in the election, Patterson said.
Ballots can be voted on at the site or can be mailed to the address listed above, as long as they are returned or postmarked by the Dec. 7 deadline, according to Patterson.
Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@mcalesternews.com.
