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(Rhinelander) - The Farm Service Agency (FSA) office in Rhinelander is currently holding an election for a position on the local County Committee to represent producers in Forest County, according to Susan Hunter, director of the FSA office in Rhinelander which serves the counties of Oneida, Florence, Forest and Vilas. The FSA county committee system, established in the 1930s, give local farmers a say in how farm programs are administered at the grass-roots level.

In early November, ballots were sent to all eligible voters (landowners and operators) in Forest County to elect an active producer from Forest County to serve a three year term on the local FSA County Committee starting January 1, 2008. Current member Ronald Karl from Laona is serving on the Committee to represent Forest County and is unable to run in this year's election as he has reached his term limit.

"We have two active producers on the ballot - Kathleen Wysocki and Philip Dyckowski, Hunter said. "I recently asked them both to provide a biography of their experiences and why they want to serve on the FSA Committee to represent Forest County Producers."

Kathleen Wysocki has been married to a small farm-business owner in Forest County for 41 years, is the mother of three (now all married) and the proud grandmother of four. She was raised on a dairy farm and worked there until HS graduation. After college in UW-Oshkosh and Superior and graduate work at Northern Michigan University, Wysocki began teaching at age 22 and continued for 30+ years full-time and part-time while raising her family and helping with the farm.

From the mid '70's through the 90's she ran a small farming operation with her husband raising beef, pigs, chickens and goats. In 1994 they purchased a larger farm and began raising bison operating under Armstrong Creek Bison. She is presently the Corporation President of Armstrong Creek Bison and member of National and Wisconsin Bison producer associations. As well as working with animals, she loves gardening, reading, singing, cooking and home decoration.

Wysocki felt she would be a good addition the FSA County Committee as she'd have a perspective on farming from a woman's point of view. Also, she stated that she's been involved with her family in the farming business nearly all her life. This experience was first with her parents and later with her husband and children. She added that they were never well off monetarily and always had to watch the bottom line, but always felt it was a wholesome way of life and worth the effort.

Wysocki has also been involved in the local 4-H club as a member and leader, past CCD teacher, presently a member of the St. Joan of Arc church choir and member of Legion Auxiliary, Chaplain.

Philip Dyckowski has been farming for 52 years in Armstrong Creek. He was raised and worked with his parents on their dairy farm until he started farming on his own raising steers, heifers, corn and hay. He married Janet Brewer in 1957 and they raised three kids on the farm, all now college graduates with seven children of their own.

He has continued throughout his farming career raising livestock and planting crops, but also worked trucking livestock for 48 years and cutting pulp wood on the side. He indicated that he does his best to keep up with the current livestock and crop markets. He also does his best to take care of the soil on his farm when planting and harvesting his crops each year.

In addition to farming and trucking livestock, Dyckowski likes to hunt, play cards, listen to music, polka dance and also play accordion when time allows. Dyckowski feels he would be a good representative on the County Committee as all he ever wanted to do was farm and understands first hand what the local farmers are facing and their needs. He has also been a member of the Livestock Shipping Association in Bonduel and a member of the local Sportsman's Club.

"We encourage all eligible voters in Forest County who receive a ballot this November to take part in this year's important election and select one of the candidates on the ballot to serve as their representative on the FSA County Committee for a three year term," Hunter stated. The deadline to return ballots to the office is December 3, 2007 and they will be counted on December 10 at the FSA office in Rhinelander."

For more details on County Committee system or the election process, call the Rhinelander FSA office at (715) 362-5941, ext. 104.

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