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Elizabethtown, N.C. Dec. 20, 2018 –Bladen County U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that Chris White was elected to represent Local Administrative Area 1 (LAA-1) during the recent county committee election. LAA-1 covers Elizabethtown, Brown Marsh, Whites Creek, and Carvers Creek Townships
Israel Cromartie will serve as the first alternate.
Christine Patrick will serve as the second alternate.
“County Committee members are a critical component of the day-to-day operations of FSA,” said Chris Tatum, county executive director. “They help deliver programs at the county level and work to serve the needs of local producers. All recently elected county committee members will
take office in January 2019 and will be joining the existing committee.”
Every FSA office is served to by a county committee made up of local farmers, ranchers and foresters who are elected by local producers. Nearly 7,800 FSA county committee members serve FSA offices nationwide. Each committee has three to 11 elected members who serve three-
year terms of office.
County committee members impact the administration of FSA within a community by applying their knowledge and judgment to help FSA make important decisions on its commodity support programs, conservation programs, indemnity and disaster programs, emergency programs and
eligibility.
County committee members impact producers through their decision making and help shape the culture of a local FSA office. They also ensure the fair and equitable administration of FSA farm programs in their counties and are accountable to the Secretary of Agriculture. Members conduct
hearings and reviews as requested by the state committee, ensure underserved farmers, ranchers and foresters are fairly represented, make recommendations to the state committee on existing programs, monitor changes in farm programs and inform farmers of the purpose and provisions
of FSA programs. They also assist with outreach and inform underserved producers such as beginning farmers, ranchers and foresters, about FSA opportunities.
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