SKOWHEGAN — The Somerset County Farm Service Agency recently announced the nomination period for the County Committee election is open. Request nomination forms from the local USDA Service Center or obtain online at fsa.usda.gov/elections.

To be eligible to serve on an 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 local administrative area in which the person is a candidate.

Local Administrative Area 1 is seeking nominees for this year’s election, consisting of the towns of Cambridge, Detroit, Harmony, Hartland, Palmyra, Pittsfield, St. Albans and Ripley.

Farmers and ranchers may nominate themselves or others, and organizations representing minorities and women also may nominate candidates. To become a candidate, an eligible individual must sign the nomination form, FSA-669A. The form and other information about FSA county committee elections are available at fsa.usda.gov/elections. Nomination forms for the 2012 election must be postmarked or received in the local USDA Service Center by close of business on Aug. 1. Elections will take place in the fall.