CCS/HCS/SCS/SB 631 - This act modifies provisions pertaining to animals and agriculture. SECTION 178.530 - AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS
The act requires the State Board of Education to establish standards for agricultural education that may be adopted by a private school. The standards must be sufficient to allow a private school to apply to host a local chapter of a national agricultural education association. These local chapters at private schools are not eligible to receive state or federal funding for agricultural vocational education and the private schools must annually reimburse the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for its administrative costs.
This section is identical to CCS/SS/SCS/HB 1073 & HCS/HB 1477 (2012) and similar to CCS/HCS/SCS/SB 635 (2012), CCS/SB 599 (2012) and HB 1953 (2012).
SECTIONS 262.255 AND 1 & 2 - EXHIBITING LIVESTOCK
The act requires the State Fair Commission to permit livestock breeders and qualifying 4-H and Future Farmers of America (FFA) members to exhibit livestock at the Missouri State Fair. The act also requires the governing bodies of any national, state, or local fair, exposition or pet show at which livestock or domestic animals are exhibited, to permit livestock breeders, pet owners, and qualifying 4-H and FFA members to exhibit their animals. The act gives authority to the State Fair Commission and governing bodies of fairs, expositions, or pet shows to establish rules and fees for their events.
These sections are identical to HCS/HB 1363 (2012).
SECTION 276.401 - MISSOURI GRAIN DEALER LAW
Under current law, certain manufacturers and processors of animal feed are by definition not considered grain dealers under the Missouri Grain Dealer law if, among other things, such individuals do not purchase more than $100,000 worth of grain a year. This act replaces the $100,000 threshold with a 50,000 bushel threshold.
This section is identical to CCS/SS/SCS/HB 1073 & HCS/HB 1477 (2012).
SECTION 304.180 - LOAD LIMITS ON ROADWAYS
Under current law, the total gross weight of a vehicle or combination of vehicles hauling livestock can be up to 85,500 pounds on certain highways. The act modifies the highways to which this provision applies. The act also allows a vehicle weighing up to 85,500 pounds to haul milk from a farm to a processing facility on highways other than the interstate highway system.
This section is similar to HCS/HB 1212 (2012).
SECTIONS 350.015 & 350.017 - CORPORATIONS OWNING FARMLAND
The act creates an exemption to the prohibition on corporate farming for land in use for pork production as of September 28, 2007 in Daviess, Gentry, or Worth counties. Companies may not expand their operations on the exempted land but may maintain their existing operations.
SECTIONS 537.850 TO 537.859 - AGRITOURISM PROMOTION ACT
The act creates the Agritourism Promotion Act. Registered agritourism operators are required to post certain warning notices and include warning language in contracts. The act provides that registered agritourism operators are not liable for injuries to, or the death of, a participant in agritourism that result from the inherent risks of agritourism activities. The liability of an agritourism operator who engages in willful or wanton conduct or has actual knowledge of a dangerous condition in the land, facilities, or equipment is not limited.
These sections are similar to HB 1254 (2012), HB 633 (2011), and HB 2362 (2010).
SECTIONS 578.005 AND 578.013 - DUTY TO REPORT ANIMAL ABUSE
Under the act, employees of animal agricultural operations who videotape what they suspect is animal abuse must provide the recording to a law enforcement agency within 24 hours. Any such recordings must not be edited in any way. An intentional violation of the act is a Class A misdemeanor.
ERIKA JAQUES