LIHU‘E — Farm Service Agency county committee members serve as a liaison between the United States Department of Agriculture and local farmers. Each of Kaua‘i’s three ag districts have a committee member who serves three years. Because of their staggered
LIHU‘E — Farm Service Agency county committee members serve as a liaison between the United States Department of Agriculture and local farmers.
Each of Kaua‘i’s three ag districts have a committee member who serves three years. Because of their staggered election schedule, each year one of the seats goes up for election.
This year the seat for Local Administrative Area B — which includes most of Kawaihau, plus Kamalomalo, Kealia, Kapa‘a, Waipouli and Olohena — is up for grabs.
The representative for LLA B, goat farmer Thomas Runyan, is seeking re-election against vegetable producer Zongping Hannah Huang.
Almost everyone eligible to take part in a local FSA program qualifies to be a committee member candidate. The period for nominations ran from June 15 through Aug. 2.
Ag producers who participate or cooperate in any FSA program may be eligible to vote. Candidates may be nominated by eligible voters of their respective district, or they can nominate themselves, Ishikawa said.
The voting period goes from Nov. 5 through today. Ishikawa said the USDA mailed 160 ballots to LAA B eligible voters, and 31 of those had been returned by Friday.
“That’s pretty good nationwide,” Ishikawa said of the percentage of voters who have already returned ballots.
Voters can still mail their ballots today or they can walk into the Lihu‘e USDA office to cast their vote.
Next year the committee seat for LAA C, which goes from Anahola to Hanalei, will be up for re-election. Phillip Davies, an organic vegetable producer, is the current committee member for that area and is also the committee chair.
The seat that represents LAA A, from Wailua to the Westside, is filled by cattle rancher Sheila Louis. She was elected last year, and has two more years to serve.
Ishikawa said committee members meet monthly to review farmers’ applications for USDA programs. Committee members also help educate farmers about USDA programs.
“The most important thing is that they are the eyes and ears for the USDA in implementing the agricultural programs on this island,” Ishikawa said of the committee members.
Visit www.fsa.usda.gov for more information.
• Léo Azambuja, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or lazambuja@kauaipubco.com.
