Senator Bill Stouffer is a life-long resident of Saline County, a farmer, and small business owner. Stouffer and his wife, Sue Ellen, live on their family farm in Napton, a small town near Marshall, MO. A former school board president and graduate of the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, he has been a farmer since 1967.

Born April 19, 1947, Stouffer is the father of two sons and has four grandchildren. He is an active member of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, Missouri Corn Growers, Missouri Soybean Association, Missouri Farm Bureau, Missouri Civil Air Patrol, NRA, and the Smith Chapel United Methodist Church. In addition, Sen. Stouffer has chaired the General Assembly’s 4-H Caucus.

Stouffer’s leadership experience in the agriculture industry includes serving as a member of the Board of Directors for MFA, Inc. for 16 years, serving as a former chairman of the board for eight years. Under his leadership, MFA made significant changes in its management practices including removal of partisan politics and an antiquated distribution system within the cooperative. This transition is attributed to saving MFA, Inc. from bankruptcy in the early 1980’s. Today, MFA serves more than 45,000 farmers in Missouri and adjacent states. Stouffer has also chaired the University of Missouri’s College of Agriculture Foundation, was an elected member of the state’s first corn merchandising council, and was inducted into the Missouri Institute of Cooperatives Hall of Fame in 2008.

Stouffer is considered a leader in transportation issues and is the first Transportation Chair to have driven the state’s roads in a car, tractor, and a semi. His business experience has also relied heavily on barge and rail traffic. His efforts include finding solutions to fund expansions to Interstates 70 and 44 including truck-only lanes.

Health care, gun rights, and agriculture are also top legislative priorities including laws Stouffer authored including:

• An expansion of Assisted Living laws that AARP called “Missouri’s most significant legislation for seniors in a decade” and he continues to focus on reform in brain injury and older adult care.
• The Hunting Heritage and Preservation Act, the National Rifle Association’s number one priority in the nation.
• Voter photo identification requirements and advanced voting in Missouri’s primary and general elections. The photo identification law passed by the legislature was later vetoed by the governor.
• Expanding the availability of charter schools statewide, while adding new accountability measures for those already in existence.

Stouffer currently serves as Chairman of the Senate's Republican Caucus and Chairman of the Senate’s Committee on Transportation. He has also led his caucus on veteran’s issues.