Opinion: Missouri Farm Families Find Success in 2011 Legislative Session

by the Missouri Cattleman's Association


Farm families around the state work tirelessly each year to provide more market value to Missouri than any other industry. Missouri legislators, and agriculture groups, recognized that effort and protected Missouri producers in a big way this year.



This legislative session agriculture had several pieces to negotiate during the process.” said Jeff Windett, executive vice president of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association. “None of which made it without significant discussion in both chambers.”



MCA and all of agriculture worked hard to promote a positive agricultural message throughout the session and found success with many bills coming out of the general assembly.



The biggest victory for agriculture this session was the Proposition B solution. MCA believes that this bill truly strengthened the basis behind the original Proposition B and finally protects legitimate dog breeders by eliminating limitations on the number of dogs each breeder can have and breeding cycles. The bill also stopped an outdoor exercise mandate and changed the square footage requirements for dog cages. Gov. Nixon gave his approval to the compromise on April 27, 2011.



“It’s safe to say that I’ve never been through so many ups and downs as I have with this issue during the session,” Windett said. “It was a monstrous effort by agriculture groups and legislators.”



Farm families were also protected under Sen. Brad Lager’s, R-Maryville, bill concerning nuisance suits. It restricts the right to sue under nuisance law to those who have ownership interest in property being affected by the nuisance. Farmers are also no longer subject to repeated lawsuits against their crop or animal production farm under one specific nuisance claim.



The omnibus agriculture bill sponsored by Sen. Brian Munzlinger, R-Williamstown, has high hopes of being signed by Gov. Nixon and creates the Puppy Protection Trust Fund to compliment the Proposition B compromise. A second key provision in this bill requires the Department of Agriculture to publish a list of weeds considered “noxious” and must be eradicated. It also prohibits the sale of any noxious weeds.



The last piece of legislation to mention is the omnibus judicial bill that will create a Class C Felony for anyone receiving stolen property valued at more than $3,000. Livestock was specifically named as a concern within the language, which marks a huge gain in the efforts to reduce cattle theft in the state. The bill was sent to the Governor for his final approval.