2014 FSA County Committee Elections
The nomination period for the 2014 COC elections is now open. Farmers and ranchers can select themselves or others as candidates for election to serve on the local county committee and help make important agricultural decisions. Members of the committee deliver FSA farm programs at the local level and make decisions needed to administer the programs in their offices. Nominees must participate in a program administered by FSA, be eligible to vote in a County Committee election and reside in the local administrative area (LAA) in which the person is a candidate. Lancaster County is seeking nominations for LAA#2 which includes the townships, Middle Creek, Garfield, Lancaster, Stevens Creek, Denton, Yankee Hill, Grant & Stockton (middle 1/3 of Lancaster Co.). Kathy Mueller is currently the committee representative for this area. She has served two terms and is seeking re-election. FSA strives for increased diversity on County Committees. We encourage beginning farmers and ranchers, as well as socially disadvantaged producers to be nominated for the Committee seats. To become a candidate, an eligible individual must sign the nomination form FSA-669A. (English or Spanish) The form and other valuable information about FSA county committee elections is available online at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/elections or you may visit any local FSA office to obtain a copy. Nomination forms must be postmarked or received in the office by close of business on August 1, 2014. The COC election will be conducted later in the fall. Contact your local Service Center for information regarding the area in which the 2014 election is being conducted. Conservation Reserve Program There will not be a general CRP signup this year. General CRP contracts that expire on September 30, 2014 may be eligible for a one year extension if the current contact was in effect for less than 15 years. Contracts that qualify for 1 year extensions need to be extended by August 8, 2014. You may be eligible to re-enroll a portion of the land under a continuous practice. The National FSA Office has mailed letters to producers with expiring CRP contracts. If you have questions about your options please give this office a call. The signup for continuous CRP is currently underway and will end on September 30, 2014. Continuous CRP is focused on small environmentally sensitive acreages. This could include land that is prone to erosion or land that borders rivers or streams. Some practices include: wildlife habitat buffers, filter strips, grass waterways, wetland buffers and State Acres for Wildlife (SAFE). The Transition Incentive Program (TIP) has been re-authorized under the new Farm Bill. This program assists with the transition of expiring CRP land from a retired or retiring owner or operator to a beginning, veteran, or socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher to return the land to production. The retired or retiring owner or operator must agree to sell, have a contract to sell, or agree to lease long term (at least 5 years) the land enrolled in an expiring CRP contract to a qualified operator. The new operator must work with NRCS in to develop a conservation plan to return the land to production using sustainable grazing or farming methods. The owner will then receive 2 additional years of CRP annual rental payments in addition to the cash rent or profit from the sale of the land provided the land is sold or rented to a non-family member. FSA has developed a website ( http://www.fsa.usda.gov select online services and chooseTip Net) to connect retired or retiring land owners & operators with beginning or socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers who are interested in this program. Reminder: A requirement when signing the CRP contract is weed control. Noxious weeds that pose a threat to existing cover or adversely impact other landowners must be controlled. Weed control may be obtained by mechanical or chemical treatment and must be done in accordance with the farm's conservation plan. Questions?
Please contact Greg Chewakin, County Executive Director, at (402) 423-9683, Greg.Chewakin@ne.usda.gov or for Farm Loans, please contact Wes Finkner, Farm Loan Manager, at (402) 269-2361, Wes.Finkner@ne.usda.gov. | 
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