Agriculture Bill Sent to the Governor

This week, the Senate returned to the Capitol refreshed and ready to work. Floor debate started and bills immediately began moving through the Senate. Among them was Senate Bill 12, which was Truly Agreed To and Finally Passed, sending the bill to the governor’s desk. With this, the Senate accepted a House Committee Substitute added to the original legislation before passing.

Senate Bill 12 is important legislation for the future of Missouri’s farmers and agriculture. This measure contains numerous provisions ranging from Missouri’s Livestock Market Law to weight limitations on hauling milk and livestock.
  
Agriculture is an issue we address annually in the General Assembly. Last year’s agriculture bill fell short of the votes it needed to pass due to a provision which would classify captive, domesticated deer as livestock. After removing this provision from SB 12, the General Assembly was able to give its bipartisan approval and it unanimously passed through the Upper Chamber.

SB 12 includes numerous positive impacts including: changing the definition of “processing Urban Agricultural Zone” (UAZ) to include produce; establishes a referendum procedure to collect fees for the beef commodity council; limits the amount of fees collected under the Missouri Livestock Marketing Law to the costs of administering the Law; and increases the amount of a surety bond or liability insurance from $25,000 to $50,000 for pesticide applicators, but removes the requirement that the applicator furnish the proof of the insurance annually.  SB 12 also adds livestock to the current milk exemption from highway weight limitations and allows farmers to exceed weight limits up to 10% when hauling grain during harvest.  Another important part of SB 12 is streamlining the sale of agriculture land by requiring the sales to be approved by the Department of Agriculture Director unless the purchaser signs a completed W-9 from the IRS to verify they are United States’ taxpayer.

Senate Bill 12 was passed in order to encourage and protect current farm expansions, and build stability for future Missouri farmers. Missouri’s agricultural success is imperative to our state’s economic growth. I am happy to see such impactful legislation move to the governor’s desk. It is my hope that our executive branch will recognize this legislations importance, and sign the bill into law.

For the full language of Senate Bill 12, click here.