SB 387 - This act establishes the Missouri Rice Certification Act, which prohibits the production, transporting, or handling of certain rice varieties except as provided by state regulations. The Rice Certification Committee is created by the act. The Committee is made up of nine members: the director of the Department of Agriculture; two members appointed by the director to represent rice handlers and rice end users; and six members recommended by the Missouri Rice Research and Merchandising Council to include rice producers, university scientists, and representatives of rice mills and rice seed dealers.
The Committee shall: 1) Identify rice varieties with characteristics of commercial impact; 2) Develop rules to be promulgated by the Department of Agriculture regarding the production and handling of rice varieties with characteristics of commercial impact; 3) Review rice identity preservation programs; 4) Review, approve, and make recommendations to any rules and policies developed by the Department of Agriculture in relation to this act; and 5) Hold hearings for appeals by alleged violators of this act.
The Department shall promulgate rules to implement this act. The act requires the Department to: 1) Prevent the contamination of rice that has not been identified as having characteristics of commercial impact; 2) Require certain notifications for producers, transporters, and receivers of rice with characteristics of commercial impact; 3) Enforce restrictions on rice with characteristics of commercial impact; 4) Investigate alleged violations, issue written notices of violation and impose penalties for violation; and 5) Encourage research and development of new types of rice.
The penalty for violating this act shall be at least ten thousand dollars but not more than one hundred thousand dollars per day per violation.
The provisions of the act become effective one hundred eighty days from the act's effective date.
ERIKA JAQUES