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Missouri landmark dairy bill may survive

Landmark dairy legislation – the first of its kind on a state level – may get a second chance.  Missouri House Ag Committee Chair Casey Guernsey says he believes the state legislature will get the dairy market bill through next month.

In July, Governor Jay Nixon vetoed the omnibus bill that covers a variety of ag issues, including the bill to help dairy farmers.  Guernsey tells Brownfield Ag News, “I’ll have the opportunity to debate my bill again and try to get all of the 109 votes to override the governor’s veto and I’m optimistic we’ll be able to do that,” Guernsey says.

Guernsey says Missouri has lost more than 2,500 dairies in the past decade and dairy processors are in danger of shutting down as a result.  He says the bill is set up to strengthen the dairy industry to encourage farmers to stay in the dairy business.

Guernsey stresses that the omnibus bill affects more than just dairy farming. “This bill is an omnibus bill, so there’s ten components and that’s why I says its one of the strongest ag bills that I’ve passed. Its got language that affects almost every facet of agriculture in Missouri that’s very important. From the transfer of titles for the sale of property to pesticide application to liability for cattle, it’s a very good agriculture bill,” Guernsey says.

Governor Nixon vetoed the bill because it had a provision that would have moved captive deer from under Missouri Conservation Department regulation to Missouri Ag Department oversight which Guernsey says is the right thing to do.  The Missouri legislative veto session starts September 10th.

AUDIO: Rep. Casey Guernsey interviewed by Cyndi Young (9:15 mp3)

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