WASHINGTON– Five Arkansans have been appointed by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to serve on the Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Committee, which is responsible for carrying out FSA’s programs in Arkansas.

Ron Chastain of Faulkner County has been appointed to serve as Committee Chair. The committee includes Gary Churchill of Pope County, Sarah Dunklin of Desha County, Nathan Reed of Lee County and Vivian Wright of Sevier County.

U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) congratulated the new committee members, saying they are “among the best of an elite class of farmers and ranchers” in the state.

“These men and women are among the best of an elite class of farmers and ranchers in Arkansas. I’m pleased to have helped Secretary Perdue identify these talented, high-quality individuals and congratulate them on their appointments. I am confident that they will do an exceptional job,” Boozman said.

The committee oversees FSA activities in the state. This includes assisting in implementation of FSA programs, including Price Loss Coverage (PLC), Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and conservation programs; resolving appeals from the agriculture community; and informing producers about FSA programs that can help their operations.  

State committees are appointed for a one year term which began on January 1, 2018. Each state committee has five members—one chairperson and four members—who serve at the pleasure of the Secretary of Agriculture.