Jefferson Davis/Lawrence County USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Acting Executive Director, Rebecca McKenzie wants to remind area farmers of the Role of Farm Service Agency in the local community.

Farm Service Agency (FSA) serves all farmers and agricultural partners through the delivery of effective, efficient agricultural programs.  FSA provides local farmers a strong safety net through the administration of farm commodity and disaster programs.  FSA also has a long standing tradition of conserving the nation’s natural resources through the Conservation Reserve Program.

The agency also provides credit to agricultural producers who are unable to receive private/commercial credit.  FSA places special emphasis on providing credit to beginning, minority and women farmers.

Local producers can get involved with the Farm Service Agency by serving on the local Jefferson Davis/Lawrence County FSA Committee.  Local producers who serve on the FSA County Committee apply their judgement and knowledge to help with the decisions necessary to administer FSA programs in Jefferson Davis/Lawrence County, ensuring the needs of local producers are met.  FSA County Committees operate within official federal regulations and provide local input on: 1) Income safety-net loans and payment, including setting county average yields for commodities; 2) Conservation Programs; 3) Incentive, indemnity and disaster payments for some commodities; 4) Emergency programs; and 5) Payment eligibility.

The Jefferson Davis-Lawrence County FSA Committee is composed of five local administrative areas.  These areas are reviewed each year to make sure that they represent the local agricultural producers equally.  LAA-1 is the North Half of Lawrence County.  LAA-2 is the North Half of Jefferson Davis County. LAA-3 is the Southeast 2/3 of Jefferson Davis County.  LAA-4 is the Southwest 1/3 of Lawrence County and Southeast 1/3 of Jefferson Davis County.  LAA-5 is the Southwest 2/3 of Lawrence County.  The 2021 Election will be held in Local Administrative Area 1 representing farmers located in the North Half of Lawrence County and Local Administrative Area 2 representing farmers located in the North Half of Jefferson Davis County.

The county committee nomination period will begin on June 1. Nomination forms must be postmarked or received in the Jefferson Davis/Lawrence County FSA Office by close of business on Aug. 2.

Farmers may nominate themselves or others. Organizations representing minorities and women also may nominate candidates. To become a candidate, an eligible individual must sign an FSA-669A nomination form and have a farming interest in the LAA’s having an election. The form and other information about FSA county committee elections are available at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections. Nomination forms must be postmarked or received in the local USDA Service Center by close of business on Aug. 2.

For additional information contact the Jefferson Davis/Lawrence County FSA Office at 601-833-9321, Ext. 2, or come by out office located at 714 Columbia Ave in Prentiss.