JEFFERSON CITY — State Sen. Brian Munzlinger, R-Williamstown, thanked his colleagues in the Missouri Senate and Missouri House of Representatives today for sending Senate Bill 12 to the governor. The legislation would modify many different provisions relating to agriculture. Senators voted today to accept changes made to the original proposal by the Missouri House of Representatives.

“I want to thank everyone who played a role in getting Senate Bill 12 to the finish line this year,” Sen. Munzlinger said. “The last few years have been critical in determining the future of farming, and this bill will make a positive difference in the coming years for Missouri’s agriculture and citizens. There are a lot of different aspects to Senate Bill 12, and each one would impact a separate aspect of agriculture if the measure becomes law.”

Senate Bill 12 seeks to change the definition of "processing Urban Agricultural Zone" (UAZ) to include produce. Local sales tax revenues deposited into a UAZ fund would be split evenly between school districts providing certain curriculum and municipalities for UAZ improvements. Senate Bill 12 would also require that all license fees collected by the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA), under the Missouri Livestock Marketing Law, to not yield revenue greater than the costs of administering the Missouri Livestock Marketing Law during the following year. In addition, the measure would add livestock to the current milk exemption for hauling weight limitations on highways, and apply such exemption to all highways — with the exception of Interstates. Plus, the new law would allow weight limitations to be exceeded by as much as 10 percent on highways for hauling grain and grain co-products during harvest. Senate Bill 12 would also require the MDA to make rules regarding the labeling of motor fuel pumps. This legislation would require that the sale of agricultural land be submitted to the director of MDA if there is no completed IRS Form W-9 signed by the purchaser. Also, no security interest in agricultural land acquired in violation of certain sections could be divested or invalidated by such violation.

“Some of the pieces of this proposal have been worked on for several years, and I am happy to say the bill is on its way to the executive branch, where it will hopefully be signed into law very soon,” said Sen. Munzlinger.