Gov. Jay Nixon today visited Edgewood Dairy, a pasture-based dairy farm in Barry County, to sign House Bill 259, the Missouri Dairy Revitalization Act; and Senate Bill 12, an omnibus agriculture bill.
“Agriculture is our state’s number one industry and the bills I’m signing today will help to further strengthen this important sector of our economy,” Gov. Nixon said. “Missouri’s dairy industry supports more than 23,000 jobs and contributes $2 billion to our state’s GDP. By supporting our dairy farmers and encouraging more young people to pursue careers in agriculture, the Dairy Revitalization Act will yield tremendous benefits for our rural communities and our entire economy.”
The Governor was joined by Representative Bill Reiboldt (R-Neosho), who sponsored the Missouri Dairy Revitalization Act.
“As our state’s largest industry and the lifeblood of rural Missouri, we must work to ensure every sector of the agricultural industry has an opportunity to grown and succeed,” Rep. Reiboldt said. “I appreciate my colleagues in the legislature and Gov. Nixon for coming together to support this bi-partisan legislation that is so important to hundreds of farm families across our state.”
To encourage more young people to pursue a career in agriculture, House Bill 259authorizes up to 80 scholarships of $5,000 each for students pursuing two- or four-year agriculture degrees. An eligible student must be a U.S. citizen and a Missouri resident who has graduated from a Missouri high school with at least a 2.5 GPA. Eligible students must sign an agreement to work in the agriculture industry in Missouri for at least two years for every year they receive the scholarship, among other provisions.
This legislation also establishes a premium assistance program to assist Missouri dairy farmers with the cost of participation in the federal Margin Protection Program, which was created in the federal Farm Bill of 2014. The federal Margin Protection Program assists dairy farmers by providing payments to the farmer when the dairy margin drops below $4.House Bill 259 allows Missouri dairy farmers who participate in the federal margin protection program to apply to the Missouri Agriculture Small Business Development Authority for reimbursement of 70 percent of their federal premium.
Additionally, this legislation requires the University of Missouri to perform an annual study of the dairy industry in Missouri, and calculate the estimated sales tax revenue generated each year in Missouri from dairy products.
The Governor also signed today Senate Bill 12, an omnibus agriculture bill. This legislation contains several provisions relating to agriculture, including increasing the weight limits on vehicles hauling livestock and grain on Missouri highways during harvest season.
“Last fall, Missouri farmers saw record harvests throughout the state, but our existing weight limits hampered the ability of Missouri’s farmers and producers to get the job done,” Gov. Nixon said. “By establishing an increased limit during times of harvest, we can help Missouri’s farmers and ranchers continue to feed, fuel and clothe the world.”
A $12.5 billion industry, agriculture ranks number one in Missouri. The state is home to nearly 100,000 farms and 300,000 Missourians are employed in agriculture-related occupations. Missouri also ranks in the top 10 states in a diverse array of agricultural goods and commodities, including corn, soybeans, cotton, rice, cattle, chickens, hogs and turkeys. Over the past five years, Missouri agricultural exports, shipped to more than 150 countries, have increased by more than a billion dollars.
Source:mo.gov