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Press Release: Missouri Farm Bureau Adopts Policy Positions and Celebrates 100 Years

Newsrelease

Missouri Farm Bureau Federation and Affiliated Companies

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701 South Country Club Drive, Jefferson City, MO 65102 · Voice (573) 893-1468 · Fax (573) 893-1855 · www.mofb.org

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 11, 2014

 

Missouri Farm Bureau Adopts Policy Positions and Celebrates 100 Years

 

As the nation’s first and oldest state farm organization, Missouri Farm Bureau celebrated at its 100th annual meeting and conducted the more serious business of determining national and state policies for 2015.  Almost 1500 members representing Missouri’s 113 county Farm Bureaus attended the meeting at the Lake of the Ozarks this week.

 

“Agriculture and Missouri Farm Bureau have experienced many challenges and successes over the past 100 years.  Safer food, better nutrition, and increased life expectancy are just a few of the advances our society enjoys today much to the credit of the American farmer,” said Blake Hurst, president of Missouri Farm Bureau.

 

Voting delegates at this year’s annual meeting reviewed, discussed and approved policy positions on state and national issues.  Most policy positions are long-standing, but several are new.  Some of the major issues which Missouri Farm Bureau (MFB) will be working on for 2015 include the following:

 

  • Reducing the current 1% cap on foreign ownership of Missouri farmland to .5%:  Dating back to the 1970s, MFB has supported the state law prohibiting foreign ownership of Missouri farmland.  In 2013 the Missouri General Assembly changed the law to allow 1% foreign ownership, but MFB members believe the limit should be reduced in half if complete prohibition cannot be accomplished.
  • Continuing to push back against the aggressive regulatory agenda pursued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other federal and state agencies:  MFB renewed its call for the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers to pull their proposed Waters of the U.S. rule and refrain from pursuing any other rulemaking that expands the reach of the Clean Water Act.
  • Supporting the development of a new voluntary Missouri beef checkoff but opposing a second USDA beef checkoff:  MFB supports the existing national beef checkoff program and favors the development of a new voluntary Missouri beef checkoff but opposes Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack’s proposal for a second national beef checkoff.
  • Increasing funding for Missouri’s highways and bridges:  Even though voters did not approve the 1-cent sales tax for transportation, MFB still believes more funding is needed and is open to new ideas that would meet voter approval.  MFB also supports increasing the Highway Commission membership from 6 to 8.
  • Increasing scrutiny of rails-to-trails proposals:  Current MFB policy opposing the proposed Rock Island trail was strengthened to require notification of affected landowners, a public comment period, approval by local governing bodies, and a trail suitability analysis by federal officials to assess potential impacts on safety, health, privacy, biosecurity, and food security.  MFB further opposes the use of state and federal tax dollars for development.
  • Protecting farmers’ and landowners’ information: MFB believes information reported by farmers to government agencies as a result of mandatory federal or state requirements should remain confidential.  While members are interested in the use of unmanned aerial systems (drones) for agricultural purposes, it is clear they are concerned about governmental aerial surveillance.
  • Requiring voter renewal of the 1/8-cent conservation sales tax:  MFB policy supports placing renewal of the 1/8-cent sales tax earmarked for the Conservation Department on the ballot every 10 years similar to the 1/10-cent soils and parks sales tax.  MFB also supports increasing the number of Conservation Commission members from 4 to 6.
  • Changing term limits and campaign reform:   Currently, a Missouri legislator can only serve 8 years in the House of Representatives and another 8 years in the Senate, for a total of 16 years.  MFB supports allowing a total of 16 years, even if the service is in just one of the two legislative chambers.  MFB also supports comprehensive campaign reform that includes limits on contributions.
  • Prohibiting states from imposing production standards for reasons other than food safety or animal/plant health that apply to other states’ agricultural products:  A court challenge to California’s egg law filed earlier this year by Missouri and five other states was dismissed.  MFB supports federal legislation to keep states from enacting such laws.
  • Addressing health care needs in rural areas:  While MFB continues to believe the Affordable Care Act should be repealed and policies pursued at the state and federal levels that maintain health care choices, contain costs and eliminate unnecessary government regulations, MFB also believes federal and/or state health care programs should be modified to focus on rural health care needs.

 

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