*I want to thank and commend, 2nd District State Representative, Casey Guernsey, chairman of the House Agri-Business Committee for his leadership and commitment to get HCS HB 1326 --- the DAIRY AND AGRICULTURE EDUCATION ACT passed out of the Missouri House last week by a 137 to 4 vote and now it goes on to the Senate for their consideration. I was a co-sponsor. “IN THE ARENA” 3rd District Legislative Report By State Representative Nate Walker Serving the citizens of Adair, Sullivan, Putnam and Mercer Counties. Week of March 30 – April 5, 2014 House Ag-Business Committee #1 priority headed to Senate… We had another positive week at the Missouri House of Representatives addressing several critical issues and legislation. In particular, it was good to finally get our number one priority of the Agri-Business and Agriculture Committees passed out of the House of Representatives and headed to the Missouri Senate. This bill, which passed in the House by a non-partisan vote of 137 to 4, is the product of a lot of hard work, cooperation, collaboration and effort to better understand what some have called a “Dairy Crisis” in Missouri. HCS HB 1326 -- DAIRY AND AGRICULTURE EDUCATION ACT, sponsored by the Agri-Business Committee Chairman 2nd District State Representative Casey Guernsey and co-sponsored by me would establish the Missouri Dairy Revitalization Act of 2014. In its main provisions, the bill: (1) Creates the Missouri Dairy Industry Revitalization Fund; (2) Requires the University to conduct and/or contract with an independent research company to conduct research to determine the estimated sales tax revenue generated in the state from the sales of dairy products and must provide the estimate to the Department of Agriculture by October 1 of each year; (3) Specifies that no more than 40% of the estimated sales tax revenue generated from the sales of dairy products may be appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the Missouri Dairy Industry Revitalization Fund and must be spent in the following order of priority: (a) First, to the diary producer margin insurance premium assistance program;(b) Second, to the Missouri Dairy Scholars program; and (c) Third, to the Commercial Agriculture program; (4) Requires the department to create and administer, through the Missouri Agriculture and Small Business Development Authority (MASBDA), a dairy producer margin insurance premium assistance program for the purpose of assisting dairy producers who participate in the federal margin protection program in the Agricultural Act of 2014; (5) Specifies that all dairy producers who participate in the federal margin protection program are eligible to apply to participate in the dairy producer margin insurance premium assistance program and must apply with MASBDA by January 1 of each year; (6) Specifies that participating dairy producers who have paid their federal premium payment and provide proof of such payment to MASBDA are eligible to have 70% of federal premium payment up to a maximum premium reimbursement rate of $.34 per hundredweight of milk; (7) Requires the University of Missouri and MASBDA to provide risk management training for Missouri dairy producers annually; (8) Creates the Missouri Dairy Scholars Program, administered by the department, for eligible students in agriculture-related degree programs who make a commitment to work in Missouris agriculture industry; (9) Requires the department to make available to eligible students up to 80 scholarships in the amount of $5,000 each to assist with the costs of tuition at a Missouri two-year or four-year college or university; (10) Sets out eligibility requirements for students, including requirements to sign a contract with the department in which the recipient agrees to work in the agriculture industry in Missouri for at least two years for every year the recipient receives the scholarship and to work on a dairy farm or in a dairy-related internship for at least three months; and (11) Requires the University of Missouris Commercial Agriculture Program to conduct an annual study of the dairy industry, develop a dairy-specific plan for how to grow and enhance the dairy and dairy processing industries in Missouri, and report the results of the study to the department and all agriculture-related legislative committee chairpersons by January 1 of each year. The DAIRY AND AGRICULTURE EDUCATION ACT is important for several reason, but in particular Missouri was once in the top 10 dairy states in the country, and is now ranked 26th. We need to reclaim our status as a Dairy producing State once again and make this Industry strong. Missouri’s dairy manufacturing plants produce an estimated $4.4 billion worth of dairy products. In 2013 Missouri lost 100 dairy farms and 2,500 in the past decade. As of January 2014 Missouri has 1,208 inspected dairy farms compared to 1,494 in January of 2012. The closing of processing plants means Missouri will become more dependent on outside milk which will increase dairy prices. One plant closure last year meant the loss of 75 jobs. 60% of Missouri’s milk is currently imported, and this will continue to increase as the Missouri dairy industry decreases. Missouri currently has 15 processing plants. Other Midwest states like Kansas, Iowa, and Colorado are offering incentives for dairies to come to their state. Dairy farmers receive $.26 for every retail dollar spent; the rest goes to processors and groceries. Dairy cows generate more than $20,000 in economic activity through vet bills, feed, bills, etc., so every time a dairy leaves the state there is a decrease in economic activity. Missouri dairy farms generate $265 million in milk sales annually. Missouri dairy industry revenues are worth $7.7 billion. This directly contributes $2 billion to Missouri’s GDP. The dairy industry brings more than 23,000 jobs to the state. In relation to the dairy industry, these direct, indirect, and induced jobs provided $1.2 billion in labor income to Missourians. 5,515 workers are directly employed by dairy with average wages of $46,850 to create a total statewide payroll of $258 million. Missouri’s GDP was $2 billion larger because of the dairy industry in 2011. The Missouri dairy industry stimulated $138 million in state and local taxes to Missouri and $239 million in federal taxes in 2011, the most recent year for which data is available. Missouri had $261 million in farm level cash receipts from milk production in 2012. This would stimulate $438 million in economic activity and support 2,801 jobs in Missouri just for dairy farming, not dairy processing. To get updated information on all legislation, to see how I voted, to access the Journal of the House, and/or to find out what the current status of legislation is go to my house website at: house.mo.gov/member.aspx?year=2013&district=003 or the general House website at: house.mo.gov I am always pleased to have constituents from the 3rd District and friends from North Missouri come to visit me at the Missouri State Capitol. Some of the groups and individuals visiting with me this week and/or signing our guest book were: Breanne Hunt, Executive Director of the Kirksville Lifeline Pregnancy Help Clinic and Kitty Spencer of the Love Basket for Alliance for Life Day; School Superintendents Heath Halley from Putnam County and Donnie Campbell from Green City R-1; Pat, Tammy and Chris Kriegshauser of Kirksville; Truman State University Student Interns Dylan Kriegshauser and George Peters; Moberly Area Community College (MACC) President, Dr. Jeff Lashley; Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder; former North-Central Missouri State Representative Dale Whitesides and his wife Marilou; constituents from both Adair and Sullivan Counties participating in Child Advocacy Day at the MO State Capitol; North Missouri OATS Transportation advocates; representatives from the SEIU; Missouri Council of the Blind; constituents for the Disability Rights Legislative Day; Randy, Nellie and Sara Ogan and several other regulars. Another special group to visit this week at the MO State Capitol participating in the Missouri Farm Bureau Youth Leadership Day was: Chris Dickel, Sullivan County Farm Bureau chaperone and students Kaylee Michael, Savannah Taylor and Hailey Sawyer from the Milan C-2 High School FFA; Trenton Tallman, FFA Advisor, Schuyler R-1; Andy Jackson and Cheryl Lock, Adair-Schuyler County Farm Bureau all serving as chaperones and eight FFA Students representing Adair and Schuyler Counties. It is always great to have visitors to my office, especially young people. My State Capitol office is always open to you. Please feel free to drop by whenever you are at the MO State Capitol. My Legislator Assistant Rita Clarkson will and can also assist with any scheduling or other concerns that you may have. Rita’s e-mail address is: [email protected] I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as your 3rd District State Representative. Please feel free to contact me at any time should you need my assistance and/or if you have something to share with me. My official e-mail address is: [email protected] my legislative office number is (573) 751-3647. Working together we can make a difference. Thanks and best wishes. Nate NATE WALKER 3rd District State Representative Missouri House of Representatives Missouri State Capitol Building ~ Room 405B Jefferson City, MO 65101-6806 Telephone: (573) 751-3647 [email protected] house.mo.gov/member.aspx?year=2013&district=003 house.mo.gov COURAGE IN THE ARENA - “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt
Posted on: Sun, 06 Apr 2014 22:34:45 +0000
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