(a) Nominations to the county committee will be publicly solicited with a closing date for nominations not less than 90 days prior to the election date.

(b) Each solicitation for nomination will include the nondiscrimination statement used by the Secretary.

(c) To be eligible for nomination for election in a single county jurisdiction in the local administrative area conducting the election, a person must be a farmer or rancher residing within that local administrative area under the jurisdiction of the county committee. In a multiple county jurisdiction, or in the case where an local administrative area or county boundary runs through a farm, a person will only be eligible for nomination in the jurisdiction and local administrative area in which the person's records are administered.

(d) To be eligible, nominees must be farmers or ranchers who:

(1) Participated in a program administered within an area under the jurisdiction of the county committee; or

(2) At the time of the deadline to submit nominations, cooperate as evidenced in county office records.

(e) Nominations of eligible farmers and ranchers will be solicited and accepted from organizations representing the interests of socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.

(f) Eligible farmers and ranchers may nominate themselves or other farmers and ranchers who meet the nomination criteria in paragraph (d) of this section, and who certify their willingness to serve on the county committee.

(g) If elected, nominees must meet all the eligibility requirements in § 7.18 to serve as county committee members.