By Rep. Joe Don McGaughn, R-Carrollton
The upcoming legislative session remains several months away but legislators whose wheelhouse revolves around agricultural issues have remained active. September’s veto session produced the first veto override of an agriculturally related piece of legislation in the history of the State of Missouri in SB 9. Even with broad success several agriculture issues failed to see final passage last session and additionally a few issues have reared their heads over the interim. These are the issues that will dominate the agriculture committees and floor time next session:
Drones: [This is a] long term project of Rep. Casey Guernsey [and] might have to wait until the Gentleman from Harrison can handle it in the Senate before it gets real traction. The bottom line is that the EPA has admitted to spying on farms and ranches in Iowa and Nebraska and a strong faction don’t want this to happen in Missouri. If a simple bill protecting agriculture from unwarranted surveillance can make it out of the House it might have a chance in the Senate.
Dairy Industry: Missouri is a milk deficit state. We consume more than we produce and that is just not the Show-Me way. Rep. Robert Ross sponsored HB 841, which would have authorized a tax credit for qualifying milk producers last session. The legislation made it out of the House Agriculture Policy Committee on an omnibus agriculture bill too late in the session. Experts relay that real work needs to be done to protect not only our producers but milk processors too. If we lose these processors it won’t matter how much milk we produce as a state.
E-15: With the recent action of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules on E-15 this issue is ripe for the picking. E-10 was mandated statewide back in 2006 when the legislation was carried by then Rep. Bob Behen from Kirksville. Representative Behen was pitted against a well known rural Democrat in the upcoming state Senate race in Northeast Missouri. E-10 was used as his signature piece of legislation during that election. Perhaps an urban House member who will have to run in a rural Senate district or a current Senate candidate will once again take the bull by the horns on this issue.
Animal Confiscation: Rep. Sonya Anderson sponsored HB 785 last year which would have changed the law regarding animal confiscation in Missouri. The legislation was nearly identical to legislation filed by now Congressman Jason Smith in prior sessions. Proponents of change believe that as the law is currently written it fails to provide due process to the animal owner after confiscation and too easily allows an animal to be destroyed. Rep. Anderson has stated her intention to pre-file this legislation.
Foreign Land Ownership: A central issue that came up during the override of SB 9 during veto session—this issue has been around for decades. Once again, Rep. Guernsey championed a change to this area of the law by allowing up to one percent of Missouri’s agricultural land to be owned by foreign interests. Prior Missouri law as written prohibited foreign land ownership—a proposition that was supported by many including the Missouri Farm Bureau. Although the law prohibited foreign land ownership it failed to stop thousands of acres from being purchased by outside foreign interests, the majority of which set up Missouri business entities to purchase real estate. SB 9 set up a more stringent process by which the Missouri Department of Agriculture will oversee the purchase of real estate by non-citizens. Legislation further directing the Department of Agriculture on the process and lowering the one percent cap is foreseeable for the upcoming session. Look for Guernsey, Rep. Bart Korman or both to lead this.
Rodeos: For better or worse Rodeos—or maybe just the clowns—received plenty of attention this past summer. Rep. Ed Schieffer has introduced legislation guaranteeing the right to conduct and participate in rodeos and prohibiting a restriction on participation in rodeos several times during his legislative service. Representative Schieffer voted with the Majority Party several times during the veto session. This could be the issue that the Schieffer looks for reciprocation on.
Elected Director of Agriculture: Agriculture is Missouri’s number one industry—as a state we have enormous opportunities to spread our commodities, products and agricultural ideas across the world. The head of our agriculture Industry should be one of the most dynamic and influential leaders we have here in Missouri. Many are not sure that our track record with gubernatorial appointments for the job reflects this objective. Rep. Jay Houghton last year presented HB 667 that would have changed the Department of Agriculture to the Office of Agriculture with all of the same powers, functions and duties as the current department contingent upon passage of a constitutional amendment.
Wood energy tax credit: This tax credit made it to Gov. Nixon’s desk last session on SB 342 thanks to Rep. Paul Fitzwater. The governor vetoed the omnibus bill due to other concerns—most notably the language overridden in SB 9. Last year’s wood energy tax credit language authorized credits until June 30, 2019 and prohibited more than three million dollars in tax credits in any fiscal year.
Tax Exemption for Farmers Markets: This was another idea, presented by Rep. Delus Johnson, which failed ultimate passage as a result of the veto of SB 342. This legislation had broad support throughout the legislature—even with urban Democrats who stated the importance of their constituents having the opportunity to buy fresh Missouri products for their families at an affordable price.
