Texas Wheat to hold biennial election

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The Texas Wheat Producers Board will hold its biennial election to elect five board members to fill expiring positions, including the District II which includes Castro County.

The election, to be held by mail, officially begins March 23, and will conclude April 6.

Terms expiring in 2021 include Scott McGarraugh of District I, Corby Shadid of District II, Freddie Streit of District III, and Scott Born and Ben Scholz of District IV. These districts consist of the following counties:

District I: Dallam, Sherman, Ochiltree, Lipscomb, Hansford, Roberts, Moore, Hartley, Hutchinson and Gray

District II: Carson, Potter, Oldham, Deaf Smith, Randall, Armstrong, Briscoe, Swisher, Castro, Parmer, Hale and Floyd

District III: Childress, Hardeman, Foard, Knox, Throckmorton, Haskell, Archer, Baylor, Wilbarger, Wichita, Young and Clay

District IV: All other counties in Texas

Any producer living within the respective district who is engaged in the business of producing wheat, or causing wheat to be produced for commercial purposes, is eligible to vote. This includes owners of farms and their tenants and sharecroppers who are subject to paying the refundable assessment collected on wheat sold in Texas.

Any person qualified to vote may seek nomination for election to a six-year term on the board. Qualified persons must reside in the district in which they seek nomination and submit a nomination form to the board signed by the nominee and ten other eligible voters in that district. Nomination forms can be requested by phone at (806) 352-2191 and must be received by March 7, in order to be valid.

The election will be held by mail-in ballot. Ballots will be available for eligible voters beginning March 23, at local Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service offices or obtained by contacting the board. Ballots must be mailed to the polling place at 5405 West I-40, Amarillo, Texas 79106, with a postmark date no later than April 6.

Board members are responsible for the allocation of funds from a statewide wheat producer assessment of two cents per bushel. These funds are applied to wheat research, education and market development to further the wheat industry in Texas. The Texas Agricultural Commodity Referendum Law prohibits such funds from being used for lobbying or legislative efforts.

For more information, contact the Texas Wheat Producers Board office at (806) 352-2191, by email at info@texaswheat.org or visit http://www.texaswheat.org.