Nominations for seats on the Moore-Montgomery Farm Service Agency County Committee are now being accepted for the fall election.

Aug. 1 is the deadline to submit nominations.

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is a unit of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The committee does not approve or deny loans, but it does make decisions on disaster and conservation programs, emergency programs, commodity price support loan programs and other agricultural issues.

Each committee consists of three to 11 members, who serve three-year terms.

Amber A. Waller, executive director of the Moore-Montgomery FSA, says local farmers and producers are urged to participate in the county committee elections process.

“The county committee is vital to the Moore-Montgomery County farm community, providing a voice to landowners, farmers and producers to USDA,” Waller said.

To serve on the FSA County Committee, a person must participate or cooperate in a program administered by FSA, be eligible to vote in a county committee election and reside in the administrative area in which the person is a candidate.

Moore-Montgomery farmers and producers may nominate themselves or others. Organizations representing minorities and women may also nominate candidates.

To become a candidate, an eligible individual must sign the nomination form, FSA-669A. The form and other information about the FSA committee election process are available online at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/elections.

Nomination forms must be postmarked or received in the Moore-Montgomery County USDA Service Center by the close of business on Aug. 1.

Ballots will be mailed to eligible voters beginning Nov. 4. Marked ballots are due in the Moore-Montgomery FSA office by mail or in person by Dec. 5.

Newly elected committee members and alternates will take office Jan. 2.

More information is available at the Moore-Montgomery office in the Moore County Agriculture Center, 707 Pinehurst Ave., Carthage, or by telephone at (910) 947-5104.