Beech Tree News Network

The 2024 Farm Service Agency County Committee Elections began on Nov. 4, 2024, when ballots were mailed to eligible voters. The deadline to return ballots to local FSA offices, or to be postmarked, is Dec. 2, 2024.

County committee members are an important component of the operations of FSA and provide a link between the agricultural community and USDA. Farmers and ranchers elected to county committees help deliver FSA programs at the local level, applying their knowledge and judgment to make decisions on commodity price support programs; conservation programs; incentive, indemnity and disaster programs for some commodities; emergency programs and eligibility. FSA committees operate within official regulations designed to carry out federal laws.

To be an eligible voter, farmers and ranchers must:

Be of legal voting age or, if not of legal voting age, supervise and conduct the farming operation of an entire farm.

Have an interest in a farm or ranch as either:

An individual who meets one or more of the following:

Is eligible and capable to vote in one’s own right.

Is a partner of a general partnership.

Is a member of a joint venture.

oParticipates or cooperates in any FSA program that is provided by law. A cooperating producer is someone who has provided information to FSA about their farming or ranching operation(s) but may not have applied or received program benefits.

Eligible voters in Local Administrative Area 2, who do not receive a ballot can obtain one from their local FSA county office. Customers can identify which LAA they or their farming operation is in by using our new GIS locator tool available at fsa.usda.gov/elections. 

Newly elected committee members will take office Jan. 1, 2025.

The candidates in this year’s election are:

Craig Cohron

Craig Cohron is nominated in Butler County’s LAA 1 to serve as a COC member for a 3-year term beginning January 2025.

Craig resides in the South Butler County community of Sharer with his wife Tina.

He is a graduate of Western Kentucky University with a Bachelors Degree in Agriculture.

Craig and his family raise corn and soybeans as well as beef cattle.

Craig is currently serving on the County Committee and is willing to continue to serve if re-elected.

Brandon Givens

Brandon Givens is nominated in Butler County’s LAA 1 to serve as a COC member for a 3-year term beginning January 2025.

Brandon lives in the South Butler County Community of Sandy Creek, with his wife and two sons.

He has farmed his whole life with his father Dale Givens, they have a cow calf operation.  Brandon also works at Logan Aluminum. 

Brandon is willing to serve on the County Committee if elected.

More information on county committees can be found at fsa.usda.gov/elections or by contacting the Butler County FSA office.