HS/HCS/HB 1811 - This act permits family farms, family farm corporations, and eligible new generation cooperatives formed in Missouri to participate in the Neighborhood Assistance Act.

Organizations which perform community service or economic development activities are permitted to qualify as neighborhood organizations under the act by contributing to help finance a building or structure and any equipment necessary therein which is located within the state and used to sell or add value to agricultural food products grown or produced in Missouri. Under the act, business firms making contributions to neighborhood organizations receive tax credits. The total amount of tax credits allowed is $2.5 million per fiscal year for fiscal years 2002 to 2006.

The agricultural marketing program currently known as AgriMissouri is renamed "Producers Choice".

The Department of Agriculture, for the use of the Marketing Division, is to develop and implement rules and regulations by product category for all Missouri agricultural products.

The act also creates the Missouri Agricultural Products Marketing Development Fund, for the use of the Marketing Division of the Missouri Department of Agriculture. Subject to appropriation, $1.3 million in 2002, $1 million in 2003, and $750,000 in 2004 to 2006 from the General Revenue Fund and fees collected pursuant to participation in the Producers Choice trademark marketing program are to be placed in the fund.

The Citizens' Advisory Commission for Marketing Missouri Agricultural Products is created to advise the Marketing Division of the Missouri Department of Agriculture on marketing activities associated with the Producers Choice trademark. The commission's composition, duties, and members' terms are specified.

The Commission is to establish a fee structure for sellers of Missouri agricultural products electing to use the Producers Choice trademark. All sellers having gross annual sales greater than $2 million per fiscal year of Missouri agricultural products are to remit a trademark fee of 0.5% of the aggregate amount of all of the seller's wholesale sales of products carrying the Producers Choice trademark. All sellers having gross annual sales less than or equal to $2 million per fiscal year of Missouri agricultural products, after 3 years of selling Missouri agricultural products carrying the Producers Choice trademark are to remit a trademark fee of 0.5% of the aggregate amount of all of the seller's wholesale sales of products carrying the Producers Choice trademark.

The act allows the Commission to create 2 additional trademark labels to be associated with Missouri agricultural products. The trademark labels are for certified organic products and certified family farm produced products.

The Marketing Division of the Missouri Department of Agriculture is to create an Internet web site for the purpose of fostering the marketing of Missouri agricultural products. The web site is to allow consumers to place orders for Missouri agricultural products over the Internet and is to enable small companies which process Missouri agricultural products to pool products with other small companies.

The act makes farmers who have formed a group for the purpose of selling products derived from their farming activities at a common structure, when at least 50% of the cost of such structure is paid by the group, eligible for tax credits under the Neighborhood Assistance Act.

The Department of Agriculture is to develop standards and labeling for organic farming.

The act enacts the Farmland Protection Act. The purpose of the act is to protect agricultural, horticultural, and forestry land; promote continued economic viability; promote quality of life; and protect farmlands from negative impacts.

The provisions of this act apply to tracts of real property comprising 10 or more contiguous acres used as agricultural or single family residential property or both and not located in a platted subdivision. The act requires the state or any political subdivision to hold sewer and water assessments in abeyance until improvements on property covered by the act are connected to the sewer or water system. Property subject to the provisions of the act may not be taken by eminent domain unless, in addition to approval by the county commission, a public hearing is held on the proposed taking.

Parts of this act are similar to HS/HCS/HB 1762 and HS/SB 925 (2000).
TOM MORTON