Comment from Lynn Mordas

I have run for County Committee a number of times over the past several years and have not obtained enough votes to be elected. The committee is predominately comprised of older white males from long established dairy farms that are either significantly downsized or barely operating. My qualifications not only include my occupation as an active sheep and poultry farmer, but I also have a Master's Degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Agricultural Policy and completed the Cornell University certificate program for agricultural professionals, LEAD NY. As a female farmer (and my daughter is my partner in our farm operation), who has also worked over the years at other farm businesses which employ a diversity of ethnic groups, I have noticed that there is little activity on the part of our local FSA/USDA office to reach out to the agricultural community. Hence the same group of people who have been marginally involved continue to be so involved, to the exclusion of others. This does not promote fostering of a new generation of farmers, which we desperately need in our industry. I applaud any efforts on the part of the Department of Agriculture to rectify this situation and believe that including SDA voting members to county committees is an important step in the right direction.