SB 337 - This act adds several new sections pertaining to agriculture.

AGRICULTURAL CONTRACTS - A farming corporation which offers a written contract to a Missouri farmer but retains ownership of the commodity shall file an annual addendum to the report required to be filed with the Director of Agriculture. The addendum shall contain the total number of contracts the corporation enters into in Missouri and a sample contract which contains the standard provisions. More than one sample contract may be required to accurately reflect the diversity of agricultural contracts the corporation offers.

The Department of Agriculture in cooperation with the University of Missouri Extension Division will provide information on and advice about these agricultural contracts to independent agricultural producers.

PUBLIC HEARING - A public hearing in the county in which a corporation proposes to engage in the processing or production of beef or swine is required to be held before such processing or production can begin. Failure to hold such a hearing is grounds for revocation of a corporation's certificate of incorporation.

SWINE WASTE LAGOONS - Any independent Missouri farmer with less than 600 hogs may request assistance from the Department of Natural Resources, in cooperation with the University of Missouri Extension Division, to create, operate and cease to operate an animal waste lagoon.

Operators of swine waste lagoons are required to provide an irrevocable financial assurance instrument to the Department of Natural Resources which is to be conditioned on the safe and legal operation of the lagoon. The instrument may be terminated after the lagoon ceases operations only after the operator is released from post-closure monitoring.

RULEMAKING - Rulemaking authority, subject to review by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, is granted to the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Revenue for the implementation of this act.

INDEPENDENT COOPERATIVE - The "Independent Agricultural Processors Corporation" is created as an independent member-owned cooperative. Any noncorporate independent producer or processor of agricultural goods may be a member. The corporation may buy goods from its members and resell the goods on the market. The corporation may issues shares of the corporation in its transactions.

TAX CREDIT - A taxpayer shall be allowed an income tax credit for 20% of the amount, $5M limit, spent on capital investments for agricultural goods processing.
TOM CRAWFORD