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.

Casey Guernsey: Legislature Turns Back Proposition B

by State Representative Casey Guernsey

Proposition B is the first step in an attempt to end animal agriculture in the state of Missouri. There are over 100,000 farmers in this state – many of them raise livestock. In the words of the organizations that sponsored the measure – the Humane Society:

“My goal is the abolition of all animal agriculture.”

— John “J.P.” Goodwin, HSUS grassroots coordinator, statement made on AR-Views, an animal rights internet discussion group

“If we could shut down all sport hunting in a moment, we would.”

— Wayne Pacelle, president of HSUS, Associated Press

“The life of an ant and that of my child should be granted equal consideration.”

— Michael W. Fox, HSUS senior scholar, Associated Press

This week the Missouri House passed a measure that would actually make it harder to operate a puppy mill in this state. Our bill, unlike the humane society’s proposition, increases the cost of obtaining a dog breeder’s license in Missouri, and uses that money to increase inspections. Bad people will always do bad things. The current “puppy mills” in Missouri are already operating in violation of our laws. Missouri’s “Operation Bark Alert” is already catching hundreds of illegal breeders and rescuing thousands of dogs. Since the launch of Operation Bark Alert, more than 4,300 dogs have been rescued in across Missouri. In 2009, Missouri saw a decrease of 164 commercial breeders thanks to Operation Bark Alert. In 2010, the trend continued with more than 200 commercial breeders no longer in business in Missouri. This was without the measures in proposition B, designed to end animal farming. We can stop illegal breeders from operating here without hurting legitimate businesses. The Humane Society thinks we cannot legitimately raise animals for food; they think animals are equal to humans. This is insane. Most of Missouri’s dog breeders are small family operations that raise dogs because they love them, and they want to supplement their income. Proposition B will literally put them out of business – while those already operating illegally will continue to do so. Unchanged, Proposition B hurts all dog breeders. Our proposal increases funding to look for puppy mills and shut them down without hurting legitimate farmers. If you suspect someone is operating an illegal puppy mill and want to help us shut them down, you can report unlicensed breeders to state officials at from operation bark alert at:http://mda.mo.gov/animals/ACFA/barkalert/reportbreeder.php

The Missouri Legislature also passed HB 209, the Agriculture Nuisance Reform Act, by a vote of 110-45 that will protect Missouri farm families and farms from the continued onslaught of lawsuits from out-of-state lawyers. Animal production is under constant attack from out-of-state lawyers who simply want to ruin the state's agriculture industry, kill thousands of jobs, and destroy hundreds of rural communities. I am proud that Missouri Legislators, both urban and rural, republican and democrat, stood together to protect our agriculture industry, the jobs it creates, and the rural farming heritage that is the foundation of our state's economic and social well-being. Today's reforms will protect jobs, farms, and future generations who want to continue farming without harming the legitimate rights of adjoining property owners.

As always, feel free to contact me anytime with your thoughts or concerns. My phone number is 573.751.4285 and my email is Casey.Guernsey@house.mo.gov.