Urban Agriculture County Committees

Frequently Asked Questions August 2023

Are Farm Service Agency 

(FSA) Urban County 

Committees New?

In 2020, USDA began standing up 

the first-ever FSA county committees 

focused exclusively on urban 

agriculture. These new committees are 

part of USDA’s efforts to better support 

urban agriculture and each consists of 

3 to 11 members. County committees 

have been used as the vehicle for 

farmer input on FSA programs since 

the 1930s. They represent farmers and 

set priorities at the local level.

What will the Urban County 

Committees Do?

The urban county committees will 

work to encourage and promote urban, 

indoor, and other emerging agricultural 

production practices. Additionally, the 

urban county committees may address 

areas such as food and nutrition access, 

community engagement, support 

of local activities to promote and 

encourage community composting, and 

food waste reduction. They also make 

determinations, listen to appeals and 

make decisions, and conduct outreach 

to urban and innovative producers 

for both FSA and Natural Resources 

Conservation Service (NRCS).

Why is it important?

Until now, there hasn’t been a 

procedure for local urban growers to 

affect USDA priorities and funding. 

Urban and innovative producers are 

uniquely qualified to identify the needs 

of growers and their communities 

and provide direction on how USDA 

can best serve them. By serving on a 

county committee, you will be included 

in local decisions for USDA programs 

and can positively impact the services 

USDA provides urban farms.

How Long is a Term 

and What is the Time 

Commitment?

Committee members meet at least 

quarterly and terms are three years. 

Members have the option to run for 

reelection for up to three terms or nine 

years.

Where Are the Urban 

County Committees?

A list of locations with urban county 

committees can be found on fsa.usda.

gov/elections.

Urban producers outside of the pilot 

areas who are interested on serving 

on their nearest county committee 

can inquire at the local FSA county 

office. Find your local office using our 

Service Center locator tool at farmers.

gov/service-locator.

How Do the Nominations 

Work?

Urban farmers who participate in 

a USDA program or cooperate by 

providing USDA information about 

their farming operation in the local 

area identified for the urban county 

committee may either be nominated 

or may nominate themselves or 

others. Organizations may nominate 

candidates.

~more~
To be considered, a producer must 

sign an FSA-669A nomination form. 

The form and other information about 

FSA county committee elections are 

available at fsa.usda.gov/elections or 

farmers.gov/urban.

When are the Deadlines?

Mid-June – FSA will begin accepting 

nominations for urban county 

committees.

Early August– Nomination forms must 

be postmarked or received in the local 

FSA office.

Early November – Election ballots will 

be mailed to eligible voters.

Early December – Last day to return 

ballots to service center. 

Jan. 1 – New member takes office. 

New locations establishing urban 

county committees may have a 

special election timeline that will be 

publicized locally. After the initial 

establishment, new committees 

will follow a yearly election cycle as 

outlined above.

USDA Programs for Urban 

Farmers include:

FSA – Noninsured Crop Disaster 

Assistance Program, Organic 

Certification Cost Share Program, 

microloans, and Farm Storage Facility 

Loans.

NRCS – Conservation financial and 

technical assistance, including high 

tunnels, soil health, and irrigation.

How can I serve as an 

advisor on an urban county 

committee?

In addition to elected or appointed 

members, FSA county committees 

may also include non-voting minority 

advisors. Advisors are appointed 

to county committees to ensure 

underserved (minority or women) 

producers are fairly represented. 

Anyone interested in serving as a 

county committee advisor may submit 

their request in writing to the local 

FSA county office.

fsa.usda.gov

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

For More Information

Visit farmers.gov/urban and fsa.usda.gov/elections.