December 2 is the Last Day to Return Ballots
November 26, 2024 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has started mailing ballots for the Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committee elections to eligible farmers and ranchers across the country. To be counted, ballots must be returned to the Angelina-Nacogdoches-Trinity-San Augustine-Shelby County FSA office or postmarked by December 2, 2024.
“FSA county committee members provide valuable knowledge and judgment as decisions are made about the services we provide, including disaster and safety-net programs,” said Lance Jacobs, county executive director for Angelina-Nacogdoches-Trinity-San Augustine-Shelby County. “Please take a few minutes to review your ballot and make your selection prior to the December 2 deadline.”
Each committee has from three to 11 elected members who serve three-year terms of office, and at least one seat is up for election each year for a certain Local Administrative Area (LAA). Newly elected committee members will take office January 1, 2025. Angelina-Nacogdoches-Trinity-San Augustine-Shelby committee members help FSA make important decisions on its commodity support programs, conservation programs, indemnity and disaster programs, emergency programs and eligibility.
The following producers have been nominated and are running in the 2024 election:
- Fritz “Melvin” Adams is nominated in LAA #3, Nacogdoches County, to serve as a committee member for a 3-year term. Melvin was born and raised in the Alazan Community in Nacogdoches County. Melvin is retired from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). He owns a farm in the Alazan Community.
- Michael Carl Lathon is nominated in LAA #3, Nacogdoches County, to serve as a committee member for a 3-year term. He is a retired Captain from the Texas Highway Patrol in Garland TX. He has a Bachelor’s degree from SFA and a Masters degree from Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary in Jacksonville Texas. He is currently a tree farmer in Nacogdoches County.
- Frank Jousan Jr is nominated in LAA #7, Shelby County, to serve as a committee member for a 3-year term. Frank is a retired Ag teacher and currently a cattle, hay and timber producer in Shelby County.
- Ted Land is nominated in LAA #10, San Augustine County, to serve as a committee member for a 3-year term. He resides in the Chinquapin community in San Augustine County. He is a livestock, hay and poultry grower.
Producers must participate or cooperate in an FSA program to be eligible to vote in the county committee election. A cooperating producer is someone who has provided information about their farming or ranching operation to FSA, even if they have not applied or received program benefits. Also, for county committee elections, producers who are not of legal voting age, but supervise and conduct the farming operations of an entire farm, are eligible to vote.
Producers can find out if their LAA is up for election and if they are eligible to vote by contacting their local FSA county office. Customers can locate their LAA through a new GIS locator tool available at fsa.usda.gov/elections. Eligible voters who do not receive a ballot in the mail can request one from the Angelina-Nacogdoches-Trinity-San Augustine-Shelby County FSA office at 1122 N University Dr #144, Nacogdoches, TX 75961 or call (936) 564-5891 extension 2.
