- Perfected -

SS/SCS/SB's 740, 886, & 1178 - Legislation pertaining to agriculture programs. A breakdown of the act follows:

SECTION 148.330 - Pertaining to agricultural tax credits. This section makes changes to subsection 4 of Section 148.330, RSMo, with regard to holding both schools and counties harmless with the apportioned moneys from the county stock insurance fund. Additional language was added that clarifies the county stock insurance fund's inclusion in the calculation of state revenue occurs for all fiscal years beginning on or after July 1, 2004. This section is similar to SB 740 and SB 84 (2003).

SECTIONS 261.115 through 261.289 - Pertaining to grower's districts. This section creates voluntary districts for individuals who are owners or operators of land used in the cultivation of commercial crops within the physical boundaries of the district. Section 261.115 was changed to clarify that while records and documents that may endanger the competitiveness of a business shall be deemed closed, an exception to that shall be the amount and recipient of any loan or grant administered by the Missouri agriculture and small business development authority.

This section establishes organizational requirements, rights, and responsibilities for the grower districts. This section is similar to SB 886 and provisions (Sections 261.250 to 261.289) that were contained in SS/SCS/HCS/HB 257 (2003).

SECTION 265.475 - Pertaining to meat inspection programs. This section authorizes the director of the department of agriculture to promulgate regulations consistent with and equal to the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Federal Poultry Products Inspection Act, and all other similar federal regulations.

SECTIONS 348.406 to 348.410 - Pertaining to the Agricultural Business Development Loan Program. This section allows the Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority (MASBDA) to issue certificates of guaranty covering a first loss up to but not more than fifty percent for eligible borrowers. This section states that outstanding guaranteed loans shall at no time exceed an amount which would allow immediate redemption of twenty percent of the outstanding loans guaranteed by the fund at any one time. This section is similar to SB 1178.

SECTIONS 348.430 to 348.432 - Pertaining to agricultural tax credits. These sections allow contributors to take the tax credits for new generation cooperatives and new generation processing entities on a quarterly basis. An allowance is made for tax credits allowed under this section to be carried back to any of the contributor's three prior tax years and forward to any of the contributor's five subsequent taxable years.

These sections deal with the new generation cooperative incentive tax credit and adds language that would enable those persons holding such credits to claim them on a quarterly basis. Language here that mirrors the "carry back three prior tax years and forward any five" is added to by new language that clarifies that option can be entertained regardless of the type of tax liability to which such credits are applied.

If any refunds from funds listed under Article X of the Missouri Constitution violates federal regulations, the Department of Natural Resources shall identify an equal amount from other funds appropriated to the department and the commissioner of administration shall transfer these funds to the state general revenue fund.

SECTION 263.534 - Pertaining to assessments on cotton growers for boll weevil eradication. New language adds to the list of other remedies for the collection of assessments, including penalties and interest. Under this act, the Department of Agriculture shall have an assessment lien that attaches and is perfected after 60 days - a change that removes from the Department the current responsibility of filing all liens with the Secretary of State.

SECTIONS 267.470 to 267.556 - Laws pertaining to state veterinarians and diseased animals - all repealed with this act.

MEGAN CRAIN