HB0211I-Introduced Bill Text
FIRST REGULAR SESSION
HOUSE BILL NO. 211
89TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES WILLIAMS (159), LEGAN (Co-sponsors),
WIGGINS, KOLLER, LEAKE, AND FRANKLIN
.
Read 1st time January 8,1997 and 1000 copies ordered printed.
ANNE C. WALKER, Chief Clerk
L0652.01I
AN ACT
To repeal sections 266.152, 266.160, 266.165, 266.170, 266.175, 266.180, 266.185, 266.190,
266.200, 266.205, 266.210, 266.220, 276.401, 276.411, 276.421, 276.423, 276.426, 276.436,
276.441, 276.456, 276.461, 276.471, 276.486, 276.491, 276.501, 276.506, 276.511, 276.516,
411.115, 411.131, 411.180, 411.260, 411.261, 411.271, 411.278, 411.280, 411.283, 411.287,
411.321, 411.323, 411.325, 411.391, 411.405, 411.471, 411.517, 411.518 and 411.519, RSMo
1994, and sections 266.195, 411.026 and 411.070, RSMo Supp. 1996, relating to agricultural
products, and to enact in lieu thereof forty-nine new sections relating to the same subject, with
penalty provisions, an emergency clause and an effective date for certain sections.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Sections 266.152, 266.160, 266.165, 266.170, 266.175, 266.180, 266.185, 266.190,
266.200, 266.205, 266.210 and 266.220, RSMo 1994, and section 266.195, RSMo Supp. 1996
are repealed and fourteen new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 266.152,
266.160, 266.165, 266.170, 266.175, 266.180, 266.185, 266.190, 266.195, 266.200, 266.205,
266.210, 266.212 and 266.220, to read as follows:
266.152. Sections 266.152 to 266.220 shall be known as the "Missouri Commercial Feed Law
[of 1972]".
266.160. When used in sections 266.152 to 266.220 the following terms mean:
(1) "Brand name", any word, name, symbol, or device, or any combination thereof, identifying
the commercial feed of a distributor [or registrant], manufacturer or guarantor and distinguishing it from that of others;
(2) "Commercial feed", all materials [except unmixed seed, whole or processed, when not
adulterated within the meaning of section 266.180(a), (b), (c), and (d),] or combinations of
materials which are distributed or intended for distribution for use as feed or for mixing in
feed[, but the director by regulation may exempt from this definition, or from specific provisions
of sections 266.152 to 266.220], unless such materials are specifically exempted by the
director. Unmixed whole seeds and physically altered entire unmixed seeds, when such
whole or physically altered seeds are not chemically changed or are not adulterated within
the meaning of subsection 1 of section 266.180, as well as wild bird seed, are exempt from
the definition of commercial feed. The director by rule may exempt from this definition or
from specific provisions of sections 266.152 to 266.220, commodities such as hay, straw,
stover, silage, cobs, husks, hulls, and individual chemical compounds or substances when such
commodities, compounds or substances are not intermixed [or mixed] with other materials and
are not adulterated within the meaning of subsection 1 of section 266.180[(a), (b), (c), and (d)].
Commercial feed shall not include feed that is manufactured, distributed and consumed by
the manufacturer's own livestock;
[(3) "Contract feeder", a person who as an independent contractor feeds commercial feed to
animals pursuant to a contract whereby such commercial feed is supplied, furnished, or otherwise
provided to such person and whereby such person's remuneration is determined all or in part by
feed consumption, mortality, profits, or amount or quality of product;]
(3) "Consultant-formulated feed", commercial feed manufactured for a final purchaser
based upon formula and/or specifications developed for the feed purchaser by an independent consultant or feed manufacturer;
(4) "Customer-formula feed", commercial feed which consists of a mixture of commercial feeds
[and] or feed ingredients or both, each batch of which is manufactured according to the specific
instructions of the final purchaser;
(5) "Department", the Missouri department of agriculture;
(6) "Director", the director of the Missouri department of agriculture;
[(5)] (7) "Distribute", to offer for sale, sell, exchange, or barter, commercial feed; or to supply,
furnish, or otherwise provide commercial feed [to a contract feeder];
[(6)] (8) "Distributor", any person who distributes;
[(7)] (9) "Drug", any article intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or
prevention of disease in animals other than man, and articles other than feed intended to affect
the structure or any function of the animal body;
[(8)] (10) "Feed ingredient", each of the constituent materials making up a commercial feed [or
pet food];
(11) "Independent consultant", any person who provides animal nutritional formulation
to a feed purchaser for a fee rather than the sale of feed except that a veterinarian actively
treating an identified animal is not an independent consultant;
[(9)] (12) "Label", a display of written, printed, or graphic matter upon or affixed to the
container in which a commercial feed is distributed, or on the invoice or delivery slip with which
a commercial feed is distributed;
[(10)] (13) "Labeling", all labels and other written, printed or graphic matter:
(a) Upon a commercial feed or any of its containers or wrapper[,]; or
(b) Accompanying such commercial feed;
[(11)] (14) "Manufacture", to grind, mix or blend, or further process a commercial feed for
distribution;
(15) "Metric ton", a metric ton of one thousand kilograms or two thousand two hundred
and four pounds avoirdupois;
[(12)] (16) "Mineral feed", a commercial feed intended to supply primarily mineral elements or
inorganic nutrients;
[(13)] (17) "Official sample", a sample of [commercial] feed taken by the director or [his] the
director's agent in accordance with the provisions of subsection 3, 5, [or] 6 or 9 of section
266.200;
[(14)] (18) "Percent" or "percentages", percentages by weights;
[(15)] (19) "Person" includes individual, partnership, corporation, and association;
[(16)] (20) "Pet", any domesticated animal normally maintained in or near the household of the
owner thereof;
[(17)] (21) "Pet food", any commercial feed prepared and distributed for consumption by [pets]
dogs and cats;
[(18)] (22) "Product name", the name of the commercial feed which identifies it as to kind, class,
or specific use;
(23) "Quantity statement", the net weight (mass), net value (liquid or dry), or count;
(24) "Rule", an administrative rule as defined by chapter 536, RSMo, or further elaboration of a particular statute;
(25) "Specialty pet", any domesticated animal pet normally maintained in a cage or tank,
such as but not limited to gerbils, hamsters, birds, fish, and turtles;
(26) "Specialty pet food", any commercial feed prepared and distributed for consumption
by specialty pets;
[(19)] (27) "Ton", a net weight of two thousand pounds avoirdupois.
266.165. [1. No person shall manufacture a commercial feed in this state, unless he has filed
with the director on forms provided by the director, his name, place of business and location of
each manufacturing facility in this state.
2. No person shall distribute in this state a commercial feed, except a customer-formula feed,
unless it has been registered pursuant to the provisions of this section. The application for
registration shall be submitted in the manner prescribed by the director and the director may
require a copy of the label to be submitted with the application for registration. Upon approval by
the director the registration shall be issued to the applicant. Registration shall be in effect from
January first of the year registered and continue to be in effect for one year unless it is canceled
by the registrant or unless it is canceled by the director pursuant to subsection three of this
section.
3. The director may refuse to register any commercial feed not in compliance with the provisions
of sections 266.152 to 266.220 and to cancel any registration subsequently found not to be in
compliance with any provision of sections 266.152 to 266.220. No registration shall be refused
or canceled unless the registrant has been given an opportunity to be heard before the director
and to amend his application in order to comply with the requirements of sections 266.152 to
266.220.]
1. Any person who manufactures a commercial feed within the state, or who distributes a
commercial feed in or into the state, or whose name appears on the label of a commercial
feed as guarantor, or any person who acts as an independent consultant shall obtain a
license for each facility authorizing such person to manufacture or distribute commercial
feed or act as an independent consultant in the formulation of feeds before such person
engages in such activity. Any person who makes only retail sales of commercial feed which
bears labeling or other approved indication that the commercial feed is from a licensed
manufacturer, guarantor, or distributor who has assumed full responsibility for the
tonnage inspection fee due under sections 266.152 to 266.220 is not required to obtain a
license. Any person who acts as an independent consultant shall also obtain such a license.
Any person who is required to obtain such a license shall submit an application on a form
provided or approved by the state department of agriculture accompanied by a license fee
of thirty dollars and specified by rule promulgated pursuant to section 266.195. The
license year shall be July first through June thirtieth. Each license shall expire on the
thirtieth day of June of the year for which it is issued; provided that any license shall be
valid through July thirty-first of the next ensuing year or until the issuance of the renewal
license, whichever event first occurs, if the holder of such license has filed a renewal
application with the state on or before June thirtieth of the year for which the current
license was issued. Any new applicant who fails to obtain a license within fifteen working
days of notification of the requirement to obtain a license, or any licensee who fails to
comply with license renewal requirements, shall pay a twenty-five dollar late fee in
addition to the license fee.
2. The license application shall be established by rules adopted by the state department of
agriculture.
3. The state, under conditions specified by rule, may request copies of labels and labeling
at any time from a license applicant or licensee in order to determine compliance with the
provisions of sections 266.152 to 266.220.
4. The state may refuse to issue a license to any person not in compliance with the provisions of sections 266.152 to 266.220. The department may suspend or revoke any license
issued to any person found not to be in compliance with any provision of sections 266.152
to 266.220. The director of the department of agriculture may place conditions that limit
production or distribution of a particular commercial feed on the license of any person not
found to be in compliance with sections 266.152 to 266.220. No license shall be
conditionalized, suspended, refused or revoked unless the applicant or licensee shall first be
given an opportunity to be heard before the director or a hearing officer designated by the
director in order to comply with the requirements of sections 266.152 to 266.220.
5. The state, under conditions specified by rule, may require independent consultants
formulating customer formula feeds, to furnish signed copies of their formulations and
specifications along with directions for use and appropriate warning statements to the
manufacturer and end user of the product. Consultant recommendations found to be
inadequate are subject to all the penalties as described in section 266.210.
266.170. [Any] A commercial feed [distributed in Missouri] shall be labeled as follows:
(1) In case of a commercial feed, except a customer-formula feed, it shall be accompanied by a
label bearing the following information:
(a) The [net weight] product name, and the brand name if any, under which the commercial
feed is distributed. Single ingredient feeds shall have a product name in accordance with
the designated definition of feed ingredients as recognized by the Association of American
Feed Control Officials unless the director designates otherwise;
(b) The [product name and the brand name, if any, under which the commercial feed is distributed] guaranteed analysis stated in such terms as the director by rule determines is
required to advise the user of the composition of the feed or to support claims made in the
labeling, and in all cases the substances or elements shall be determinable by laboratory
methods from generally recognized sources such as the methods published by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists;
(c) The [guaranteed analysis stated in such terms as the director by regulation determines is
required to advise the user of the composition of the feed or to support claims made in the
labeling, and in all cases the substances or elements must be determinable by laboratory methods
from generally recognized sources such as the methods published by the Association of Official
Analytical Chemists] name of each ingredient used in the manufacture of the commercial
feed shall be that established by rule or the common or usual name. The director by rule
may permit the use of a collective term for a group of ingredients which perform a similar
function, or the director may exempt such commercial feeds, or any group thereof, from
this requirement of an ingredient statement if the director finds that such statement is not
required in the interest of consumers;
(d) The [common or usual name of each ingredient used in the manufacture of the commercial
feed, but the director by regulation may permit the use of a collective term for a group of
ingredients which perform a similar function, or he may exempt such commercial feeds, or any
group thereof, from this requirement of an ingredient statement if he finds that such statement is
not required in the interest of consumers] name and principal mailing address of the manufacturer or the person responsible for distributing the commercial feed;
(e) [The name and principal mailing address of the manufacturer or the person responsible for
distributing the commercial feed] Adequate directions for use for all commercial feeds
containing drugs and for such other feeds as the director may require by rule as necessary
for their safe and effective use;
(f) [Adequate directions for use for all commercial feeds containing drugs and for such other
feeds as the director may require by regulation as necessary for their safe and effective use] Such
precautionary statements as the director by rule determines are necessary for the safe and
effective use of the commercial feed;
(g) [Such warning or caution statements as the director by regulation determines are necessary
for the safe and effective use of the commercial feed] The quantity statement.
(2) In the case of a customer-formula feed, it shall be accompanied by a label, invoice, delivery
slip, or other shipping document, bearing the following information:
(a) Name and address of the manufacturer;
(b) Name and address of the purchaser;
(c) Date of delivery;
(d) The product name and brand name, if any, and the net weight of each [registered] commercial feed used in the mixture, and the net weight of each other ingredient used;
(e) Adequate directions for use for all customer-formula feeds containing drugs and for such
other feeds as the director may require by [regulation] rule as necessary for their safe and
effective use;
(f) Such warning or caution statements as the director by [regulation] rule determines are
necessary for the safe and effective use of the customer-formula feed.
266.175. A commercial feed shall be deemed to be misbranded:
(1) If its labeling is false or misleading in any particular;
(2) If it is distributed under the name of another commercial feed;
(3) If it is not labeled as required in section 266.170, and the [regulations] rules promulgated
thereunder;
(4) If it purports to be or is represented as a commercial feed, or if it purports to contain or is
represented as containing a commercial feed ingredient, unless such commercial feed or feed
ingredient conforms to the definition, if any, prescribed by [regulation] rules by the director;
(5) If it is not appropriate for its intended or purported use;
(6) If any word, statement, or other information required by or under authority of sections
266.152 to 266.220 to appear on the label or labeling is not prominently placed thereon with such
conspicuousness as compared with other words, statements, designs, or devices in the labeling
and in such terms as to render it likely to be read and understood by the ordinary individual under
customary conditions of purchase and use.
266.180. A commercial feed shall be deemed to be adulterated:
(1) (a) If it bears or contains any poisonous or deleterious substance which may render it
injurious to health; but in case the substance is not an added substance, such commercial feed
shall not be considered adulterated under this subdivision if the quantity of such substance in
such commercial feed does not ordinarily render it injurious to health; or
(b) If it bears or contains any added poisonous, added deleterious, or added non-nutritive
substance which is unsafe within the meaning of Section 406 of the Federal Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act (other than one which is (i) a pesticide chemical in or on a raw agricultural
commodity; or (ii) a food additive); or
(c) If it is, or it bears or contains any food additive which is unsafe within the meaning of
Section 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; or
(d) If it is a raw agricultural commodity and it bears or contains a pesticide chemical which is
unsafe within the meaning of Section 408(a) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; [but]
provided, where a pesticide chemical has been used in or on a raw agricultural commodity in
conformity with an exemption granted or a tolerance prescribed under Section 408 of the Federal
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and such raw agricultural commodity has been [subject] subjected to processing such as canning, cooking, freezing, dehydrating, or milling, the residue of
such pesticide chemical remaining in or on such processed feed shall not be deemed unsafe if
such residue in or on the raw agricultural commodity has been removed to the extent possible in
good manufacturing practice and the concentration of such residue in the processed feed is not
greater than the tolerance prescribed for the raw agricultural commodity unless the feeding of
such processed feed will result or is likely to result in a pesticide residue in the edible [produce]
product of the animal, which is unsafe within the meaning of Section 408(a), of the Federal
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act;
(e) If it is, or it bears or contains any color additive which is unsafe within the meaning of
section 706 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act;
(f) If it is, or it bears or contains any new animal drug which is unsafe within the meaning
of section 514 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act;
(g) If it consists in whole or in part of any filthy, putrid, or decomposed substance, or if it
is otherwise unfit for feed;
(h) If it has been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby it may
have become contaminated with filth, or whereby it may have been rendered injurious to
health;
(i) If it is, in whole or in part, the product of a diseased animal or of an animal which dies
other than by slaughter which is unsafe within the meaning of section 402(a)(5) of the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act;
(j) If its container is composed, in whole or in part, of any poisonous or deleterious
substance which may render the contents injurious to health;
(k) If it has been intentionally subjected to radiation, unless the use of the radiation was in
conformity with the regulation or exemption in effect pursuant to section 409 of the Federal
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act;
(2) If any valuable constituent has been in whole or in part omitted or abstracted therefrom or
any less valuable substance substituted therefor;
(3) If its composition or quality falls below or differs from that which it is purported or is
represented to possess by its labeling;
(4) If it contains a drug and the methods used in or the facilities or controls used for its manufacture, processing, or packaging do not conform to current good manufacturing practice regulations
promulgated by the director to assure that the drug meets the requirement of sections 266.152 to
266.220 as to safety and has the identity and strength and meets the quality and purity characteristics which it purports or is represented to possess[; and]. In promulgating such [regulations]
rules, the director shall adopt the current good manufacturing practice regulations for [medicated
feed premixes and for] type A medicated articles and type B and type C medicated feeds
established under authority of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, unless [he] the
director determines that they are not appropriate to the conditions which exist in this state;
(5) If it contains viable weed seeds in amounts exceeding the limits which the director shall
establish by rule [or regulation].
266.185. The following acts and the causing thereof within the state of Missouri are hereby
prohibited:
(1) The manufacture or distribution of any commercial feed that is adulterated or misbranded;
(2) The adulteration or misbranding of any commercial feed;
(3) The distribution of agricultural commodities such as whole seed, raw meat, hay, straw,
stover, silage, cobs, husks, and hulls, which are adulterated within the meaning of subdivisions
(1) and (5) of section 266.180[(a), (b), (c), and (d)];
(4) The removal or disposal of a commercial feed in violation of an order [under] pursuant to
section [266.200] 266.205;
(5) The failure or refusal to [register in accordance with section 266.165] obtain a commercial
feed license;
(6) The violation of subsection [266.210.6] 7 of section 266.210;
(7) Failure to pay inspection fees and file reports or submit product listings as required by
section 266.190[.];
(8) The distribution of commercial feed to an unlicensed distributor on which inspection
fees have not been paid.
266.190. 1. An inspection fee at the rate of ten cents per ton shall be paid on commercial feeds
distributed in this state by the person [who distributes the commercial feed to the consumer]
whose name appears on the label as the manufacturer, guarantor or distributor, except
that a person other than the first manufacturer, guarantor or distributor may assume
liability for the inspection fee, subject to the following:
(1) Assumption of liability for the payment of fees must be established by requesting to be
put on deferment list with the director;
(2) No fee shall be paid on a commercial feed if the payment has been made by a previous
distributor;
[(2)] (3) No fee shall be paid on customer-formula feeds if the inspection fee is paid on the
commercial feeds which are used as ingredients therein;
[(3)] (4) No fee shall be paid on commercial feeds which are used as ingredients for the
manufacture of commercial feeds [which are registered, and]. If the fee has already been paid,
credit shall be given for such payment;
[(4)] (5) In the case of [a commercial feed] pet food which is distributed in the state only in
packages of ten pounds or less, an annual fee of twenty-five dollars per product. A listing of
each product must be submitted annually on forms provided by the director and accompanied by payment of twenty-five dollars shall be paid in lieu of the inspection fee specified
above[;]. Payment is required by January first of each year. Payments not received until
after January thirty-first are subject to a late fee of fifty percent of the payment due. The
inspection fee required by subsection 1 of this section shall apply to pet food distributed in
packages exceeding ten pounds. The assessment of these penalty fees shall not prevent the
director from taking other actions as provided in this chapter;
[(5)] (6) The minimum inspection fee shall be [three] five dollars per quarter[.];
(7) In the case of specialty pet food which is distributed in the state only in packages of one
pound or less, a listing of each product shall be submitted annually on forms provided by
the director and accompanied by payment of twenty-five dollars per product up to a
maximum annual fee of one thousand dollars per manufacturer in lieu of an inspection fee.
Payment is required by January first of each year. Payments not received until after
January thirty-first are subject to a late fee of fifty percent of the payment due. The
inspection fee required by subsection 1 of this section shall apply to specialty pet food
distributed in packages exceeding one pound. The assessment of these penalty fees shall
not prevent the director from taking other actions as provided in this chapter.
2. Each person [registered under subsection 1 of section 266.165] who is liable for the payment
of such fee shall:
(1) File, not later than the last day of January, April, July and October of each year, a quarterly
[statement] tonnage report, setting forth the number of net tons of commercial feeds distributed
in this state during the preceding calendar quarter; and upon filing such statement shall pay the
inspection fee at the rate stated in subsection 1 of this section. Inspection fees which are due and
owing and have not been remitted to the [department] director within [thirty] fifteen days
following the due date shall have a penalty fee of [eight] twenty percent of the amount due, or
[one dollar] five dollars, whichever is greater, added to the amount due when payment is finally
made. The assessment of this penalty fee shall not prevent the [department] director from taking
other actions as provided in this chapter;
(2) Keep such records as may be necessary or required by the director to indicate accurately the
tonnage of commercial feed distributed in this state. [The quarterly statement shall be submitted
whether or not inspection fees are due in which case the three dollars minimum is waived, and
the director may examine such records to verify statements of tonnage.] The director shall have
the right to examine such records to verify statements of tonnage. Failure to make an
accurate statement of tonnage or to pay the inspection fee or comply with the requirements
of this subdivision may constitute sufficient cause for the cancellation of the company's
license.
3. [Failure to make an accurate statement of tonnage or to pay the inspection fee or comply as
provided herein shall constitute sufficient cause for the cancellation of all registrations on file for
the distributor.
4.] Fees collected shall constitute a fund for the payment of the costs of inspection, sampling,
[and] analysis, and other expenses necessary for the administration of sections 266.152 to
266.220 and shall be deposited in the state treasury and credited to the general revenue fund.
[5. The fee for registration of each feed required to be registered under subsection 266.165.2
shall be two dollars for the one year period beginning January first of the year in which the feed
is registered.]
266.195. 1. The director is authorized to promulgate such rules [and regulations] for commercial feeds [and], pet foods and specialty pet foods as are specifically authorized in sections
266.152 to 266.220 and such other reasonable rules [and regulations] as may be necessary for the
efficient enforcement of sections 266.152 to 266.220 [pursuant to the provisions of this section
and chapter 536, RSMo]. In the interest of uniformity the director shall by [regulation] rule
adopt, unless [he] the director determines that they are inconsistent with the provisions of
sections 266.152 to 266.220 or are not appropriate to conditions which exist in this state, the
following:
(1) The official definitions of feed ingredients and official feed terms adopted by the Association
of American Feed Control Officials and published in the official publication of that organization,
and
(2) Any [regulation] rule promulgated pursuant to the authority of the Federal Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act [(] at 21 U.S.C. Section 301 et seq.[) if], provided that the director has the
authority [under] pursuant to sections 266.152 to 266.220 to promulgate such [regulations]
rules.
2. Before the issuance, amendment, or repeal of any rule [or regulation] authorized by sections
266.152 to 266.220, the director shall publish the proposed [regulation] rule, amendment, or
notice to repeal an existing [regulation] rule in a manner reasonably calculated to give interested
parties, including all current [registrants] licensees, adequate notice and shall afford all interested
persons an opportunity to present their views thereon, orally or in writing, within a reasonable
period of time. After consideration of all views presented by interested persons, the director shall
take appropriate action to issue the proposed rules [or regulation] or to amend or repeal an
existing rule [or regulation]. The provisions of this subsection notwithstanding, if the director,
pursuant to the authority of sections 266.152 to 266.220, adopts official definitions of feed
ingredients, or official feed terms as adopted by the Association of American Feed Control
Officials, or [regulations] rules promulgated pursuant to the authority of the Federal Food, Drug,
and Cosmetic Act, any amendment or modification adopted by said association or by the
Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare in the case of regulations promulgated pursuant to
the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, shall be adopted automatically under sections
266.152 to 266.220 without regard to the publication of the notice required by this subsection,
unless the director, by order, specifically determines that the amendment or modification shall
not be adopted. No rule or portion of a rule promulgated under the authority of sections 266.152
to 266.220 shall become effective unless it has been promulgated pursuant to the provisions of
section 536.024, RSMo.
266.200. 1. For the purpose of enforcement of sections 266.152 to 266.220, and in order to
determine whether its provisions have been complied with, including whether or not any
operations may be subject to such provisions, officers or employees duly designated by the
director, upon presenting appropriate credentials and [the director's written order of intention to
inspect, if requested,] giving notice to the owner, operator, or agent in charge, are authorized:
(1) To enter, during normal business hours, any factory, warehouse, or establishment within this
state in which commercial feeds including customer formula feeds are manufactured, processed, packed, or held for distribution, or to stop and enter any vehicle being used to transport
or hold such feeds[,]; and
(2) To inspect at reasonable times and within reasonable limits and in a reasonable manner,
[such] commercial feed, including customer formula feeds and any associated factory,
warehouse, establishment [or vehicle] and all pertinent equipment, finished and unfinished
materials, containers, and labeling therein. The inspection may include the verification of only
such records, and production and control procedures as may be necessary to determine compliance with sections 266.152 to 266.220 and the good manufacturing practice regulations
established [under section 266.180(d)] pursuant to paragraph (d) of subdivision (1) of
subsection 1 of section 266.180.
2. A separate notice shall be given for each such inspection, but a notice shall not be
required for each entry made during the period covered by the inspection. Each such
inspection shall be commenced and completed with reasonable promptness. Upon completion of
the inspection, the person in charge of the facility or vehicle shall be so notified.
3. If the officer or employee making such inspection of a factory, warehouse, or other establishment has obtained a sample in the course of the inspection, upon completion of the inspection
and prior to leaving the premises [he] such officer or employee shall give to the owner,
operator, or agent in charge a receipt describing the samples obtained.
4. If the owner of any factory, warehouse, or establishment described in subsection 1 of this
section, or [his] such owner's agent, refuses to admit the director or [his] the director's agent to
inspect in accordance with subsections 1 and 2 of this section, the director is authorized to obtain
from [the circuit court of Cole County or the circuit court of the county in which the facility is
located,] any state court a warrant directing such owner or [his] such owner's agent to submit
the premises described in such warrant to inspection.
5. For [the purpose of] the enforcement of sections 266.152 to 266.220, the director or [his] the
director's duly designated agent is authorized to enter upon any public or private premises
including any vehicle of transport during regular business hours to have access to, and to obtain
samples, and to examine records relating to distribution of commercial feeds.
6. Sampling and analysis shall be conducted in accordance with methods published by the
Association of Official Analytical Chemists, or in accordance with other generally recognized
methods.
7. The results of all analyses of official samples may be forwarded by the director to the
guarantor and to the distributor. When the inspection and analysis of an official sample
indicates a commercial feed has been adulterated or misbranded, [only then will] the results of
the analysis shall be forwarded by the director to the distributor and the [purchaser] guarantor.
Upon request and within thirty days the director shall furnish to the [distributor] guarantor a
portion of the sample concerned.
8. The director, in determining for administrative purposes whether a commercial feed is
deficient in any component, shall be guided by the official sample as defined in subdivision (16)
of section 266.160 and obtained and analyzed as provided for in subsections 3, 5, 6 and 9 of this
section.
9. To measure the quality of a customer-formula feed and noncommercial feed ingredients
an analysis will be performed by laboratory methods from generally recognized sources
such as the methods published by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists. The
results of this analysis will be sent to the end user and manufacturer to advise them of the
nutritional content of the feed.
266.205. 1. When the director or [his] the director's authorized agent has reasonable cause to
believe any lot [or] of commercial feed is being distributed in violation of any of the provisions
of sections 266.152 to 266.220 or of any of the prescribed [regulations] rules under sections
266.152 to 266.220, [he] the director may issue and enforce a written or printed "withdrawal
from distribution" order, warning the distributor not to dispose of the lot of commercial feed in
any manner until written permission is given by the director or the court. The director shall
release the lot of commercial feed so withdrawn when said provisions and [regulations] rules
have been complied with. If compliance is not obtained within thirty days, the director may
begin, or upon request of the distributor or [registrant] licensee shall begin, proceedings for
condemnation.
2. Any lot of commercial feed not in compliance with said provisions and [regulations] rules
shall be subject to seizure on complaint of the director to a court of competent jurisdiction in the
area in which said commercial feed is located. In the event the court finds the commercial feed
to be in violation of sections 266.152 to 266.220 and orders the condemnation of said commercial feed, it shall be disposed of in any manner consistent with the quality of the commercial feed
and the laws of the state, but in no instance shall the disposition of the commercial feed be
ordered by the court without first giving the claimant an opportunity to apply to the court for
release of the commercial feed or for permission to process or relabel the commercial feed to
bring it into compliance with sections 266.152 to 266.220.
266.210. 1. Any person who knowingly or recklessly violates any of the provisions of sections
266.152 to 266.220 is guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished as
provided by law.
2. Nothing in sections 266.152 to 266.220 shall be construed as requiring the director or [his]
the director's representative to:
(1) Report for prosecution[,]; or
(2) To institute seizure proceedings[,]; or [to]
(3) Issue a withdrawal from distribution order, as a result of minor violations of sections 266.152
to 266.220, or when [he] the director believes the public interest will best be served by suitable
notice of warning in writing.
3. [It is the duty of each prosecuting attorney to whom any violation is reported to cause
appropriate proceedings to be instituted and prosecuted in a court of competent jurisdiction
without delay. Before the director reports a violation for such prosecution, an opportunity shall
be given the distributor to present his view to the director.] The director may report any
violation of the provisions of sections 266.152 to 266.220 to the prosecuting attorney of the
county where the violation occurs. The prosecuting attorney may institute appropriate
proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction. If any prosecuting attorney refuses or
fails to act on the request of the director, the attorney general shall so act; however no
prosecution under this law shall be instituted without the defendant first having been given
an opportunity to appear before the director of agriculture or the director's duly authorized agent, to introduce evidence either in person or by agent or attorney at an informal
hearing. If, after such hearing, or without such hearing in case the defendant or the
defendant's agent or attorney fails or refuses to appear, the director of agriculture is of the
opinion that the evidence warrants prosecution, the director shall proceed as herein
provided.
4. The director may apply for and the court may grant a temporary or permanent injunction
restraining any person from violating or continuing to violate any of the provisions of sections
266.152 to 266.220 or any rule or regulation promulgated under sections 266.152 to 266.220
notwithstanding the existence of other remedies at law.
5. Any person adversely affected by an act, order, or ruling made pursuant to the provisions of
sections 266.152 to 266.220 may appeal the same according to the procedures established by
chapter 536, RSMo.
6. Any person who [used] uses to [his] such person's own advantage, or reveals to other than
the director or officers of the department of agriculture or to the courts when relevant in any
judicial proceedings, any information acquired under the authority of sections 266.152 to
266.220, concerning any method, records, formulations, or processes which as a trade secret is
entitled to protection, is guilty of a misdemeanor, but this prohibition shall not be deemed as
prohibiting the director or his duly authorized agents from exchanging information of a regulatory nature with duly appointed officials of the United States, or of other states, who are similarly
prohibited by law from revealing this information.
266.212. 1. In addition to any other remedy provided by law, upon a determination by the
director that a provision of sections 266.152 to 266.220, or a standard, limitation, order,
rule or regulation promulgated pursuant thereto has been violated, the director may issue
an order assessing an administrative penalty upon the violator under this section. An
administrative penalty shall not be imposed until the director has sought to resolve the
violations through an offer to hold an informal hearing to discuss the violations. An
administrative penalty may only be imposed for serious violations of sections 266.152 to
266.220. The director may only impose an administrative penalty after providing the
violator ninety days to correct any violation. Any order assessing an administrative
penalty shall state that an administrative penalty is being assessed under this section and
that the person subject to the penalty may appeal as provided by this section. Any such
order that fails to state the statute under which the penalty is being sought, the manner of
collection or rights of appeal shall result in the state's waiving any right to collection of the
penalty.
2. The director shall promulgate rules and regulations for the assessment of administrative
penalties including a definition of serious and repeated violations. The amount of the
administrative penalty assessed under this section shall not exceed one thousand dollars for
each violation. An administrative penalty shall be paid within sixty days from the date of
issuance of the order assessing the penalty. However, any person subject to an administrative penalty may file an appeal to the director pursuant to section 536.063, RSMo, within
thirty days after receipt of an order assessing an administrative penalty. Any appeal will
stay the due date of such administrative penalty until the appeal is resolved. An action may
be sought in the appropriate circuit court to collect any unpaid administrative penalty.
3. Any person subject to a final administrative order assessing an administrative penalty
may file a de novo appeal to circuit court within thirty days after receipt of the final
administrative order. The venue of such case shall be, at the option of the party subject to
an order assessing an administrative penalty, in the circuit court of Cole County or in the
county of the party subject to an order or if the party subject to an order assessing an
administrative penalty is a corporation, domestic or foreign, having a registered office or
business office in this state, in the county of such registered office or business office. The
circuit court may assess a civil penalty of up to five thousand dollars per violation.
4. Any administrative or civil penalty paid pursuant to this section shall be handled in
accordance with section 7 of article IX of the Constitution of the state of Missouri.
5. Any administrative penalty must be assessed within two years following the department's initial discovery of such alleged violation, or from the date the department in the
exercise of ordinary diligence should have discovered such alleged violation.
266.220. The director shall publish at least annually, in such forms as [he] the director may
deem proper, information concerning the sales of commercial feeds, together with such data on
their production and use as [he] the director may consider advisable, and a report of the results
of the analyses of official samples of commercial feeds sold within the state as compared with
the analyses guaranteed [in the registration and] on the label, but the information concerning
production and use of commercial feeds shall not disclose the operations of any person. The
report shall be provided free of charge to all distributors listed in the report and all feed
dealers and others who request the report.
Section B. Section A of this act shall become effective January 1, 1998.
Section C. Sections 276.401, 276.411, 276.421, 276.423, 276.426, 276.436, 276.441, 276.456,
276.461, 276.471, 276.486, 276.491, 276.501, 276.506, 276.511, 276.516, 411.115, 411.131,
411.180, 411.260, 411.261, 411.271, 411.278, 411.280, 411.283, 411.287, 411.321, 411.323,
411.325, 411.391, 411.405, 411.471, 411.517, 411.518 and 411.519, RSMo 1994, and sections
411.026 and 411.070, RSMo Supp. 1996, are repealed and thirty-five new sections enacted in
lieu thereof, to be known as sections 276.401, 276.404, 276.411, 276.421, 276.423, 276.426,
276.436, 276.441, 276.456, 276.461, 276.471, 276.486, 276.491, 276.501, 276.506, 276.511,
276.516, 411.026, 411.070, 411.180, 411.260, 411.271, 411.278, 411.280, 411.283, 411.287,
411.321, 411.323, 411.325, 411.391, 411.405, 411.517, 411.518, 411.519 and 411.800, to read
as follows:
276.401. 1. Sections 276.401 to 276.582 shall be known as the "Missouri Grain Dealer
Law".
2. The provisions of the Missouri grain dealer law shall apply to grain purchases where
title to the grain transfers from the seller to the buyer within the state of Missouri.
3. Unless otherwise specified by contractual agreement, title shall be deemed to pass to the
buyer as follows:
(1) On freight on board (FOB) origin or freight on board (FOB) basing point contracts
title transfers at time and place of shipment;
(2) On delivered contracts, when and where constructively placed, or otherwise made
available at buyer's original destination;
(3) On contracts involving in-store commodities, at the storing warehouse and at the time
of contracting or transfer, and/or mailing of documents, if required, by certified mail,
unless and to the extent warehouse tariff, warehouse receipt and/or storage contract
assumes the risk of loss and/or damage.
[276.401.] 276.404. As used in sections 276.401 to [276.581] 276.582, unless the context
otherwise requires, the following terms mean:
(1) "Auditor", a person appointed under sections 276.401 to [276.581] 276.582 by the director to
assist in the administration of sections 276.401 to [276.581] 276.582, and whose duties include
making inspections, audits and investigations authorized under sections 276.401 to [276.581]
276.582;
(2) "Authorized agent", any person who has the legal authority to act on behalf of, or for the
benefit of, another person;
(3) "Buyer", any person who buys or contracts to buy grain;
(4) "Certified public accountant", any person licensed as such under chapter 326, RSMo;
[(4)] (5) "Claimant", any person who requests payment for grain sold by him to a dealer, but who
does not receive payment because the purchasing dealer fails or refuses to make payment;
(6) "Credit sales contracts", a conditional grain sales contract wherein payment and/or
pricing of the grain is deferred to a later date. Credit sales contracts include, but are not
limited to, all contracts meeting the definition of deferred payment contracts, and/or
delayed price contracts;
[(5)] (7) "Current assets", resources that are reasonably expected to be realized in cash, sold, or
consumed (prepaid items) within one year of the balance sheet date;
[(6)] (8) "Current liabilities", obligations reasonably expected to be liquidated within one year
and the liquidation of which is expected to require the use of existing resources, properly
classified as current assets, or the creation of additional liabilities. Current liabilities include
obligations that, by their terms, are payable on demand unless the creditor has waived, in writing,
the right to demand payment within one year of the balance sheet date;
[(7)] (9) "Deferred payment agreement", a conditional grain sales transaction establishing an
agreed upon price for the grain and delaying payment to an agreed upon later date or time period.
Ownership of the grain, and the right to sell it, transfers from seller to buyer so long as the
conditions specified in section 276.461 and section [411.315] 411.325, RSMo, are met;
[(8)] (10) "Deferred pricing agreement", a conditional grain sales transaction wherein no price
has been established on the grain, the seller retains the right to price the grain later at a
mutually agreed upon method of price determination. Deferred pricing agreements include,
but are not limited to, contracts commonly known as no price established contracts, price
later contracts, and basis contracts. Ownership of the grain, and the right to sell it, transfers
from seller to buyer so long as the conditions specified in section 276.461 and section 411.325,
RSMo, are met;
[(9)] (11) "Delivery date" shall mean the date upon which the seller transfers physical possession, or the right of physical possession, of the last unit of grain in any given transaction;
[(10)] (12) "Department", the Missouri department of agriculture;
[(11)] (13) "Designated representative", an employee or official of the department designated by
the director to assist in the administration of sections 276.401 to [276.581] 276.582;
[(12)] (14) "Director", the director of the Missouri department of agriculture or his designated
representative;
[(13)] (15) "Generally accepted accounting principles", the conventions, rules and procedures
necessary to define accepted accounting practice, which include broad guidelines of general
application as well as detailed practices and procedures generally accepted by the accounting
profession, and which have substantial authoritative support from the American Institute of
Certified Public Accountants;
[(14)] (16) "Grain", all grains for which the United States Department of Agriculture has
established standards under the United States Grain Standards Act, Sections 71 to 87, Title 7,
United States Code, and any other agricultural commodity or seed prescribed by the director by
regulation;
[(15)] (17) "Grain dealer" or "dealer", any person engaged in the business of, or as a part of his
business participates in, buying grain where title to the grain transfers from the seller to the
buyer within the state of Missouri. "Grain dealer" or "dealer" shall not be construed to mean or
include:
(a) Any person or entity who is a member of a recognized board of trade or futures exchange and
whose trading in grain is limited solely to trading with other members of a recognized board of
trade or futures exchange; provided, that [transactions with a licensed warehouseman, licensed
grain dealer, producer, or any other individual or entity who is not a member of a recognized
board of trade or futures exchange] grain purchases from a licensed warehouseman,
farmer/producer or any other individual or entity in a manner other than through the
purchase of a grain futures contract on a recognized board of trade or futures exchange
shall be subject to sections 276.401 to [276.581] 276.582. Exempted herein are all futures
transactions;
(b) A producer or feeder of grain for livestock or poultry buying grain for his own farming or
feeding purposes who purchases grain exclusively from licensed grain dealers or whose total
grain purchases from other producers during his/her fiscal year do not exceed one hundred
thousand dollars;
[(c) A producer of grain buying or selling grain for his own farming operation;
(d) A person buying or selling grain only as a farm manager, or as an executor, administrator,
trustee, guardian, or a conservator of an estate;
(e) A person buying grain, all of whose purchases are paid for by cash, paid in United States
dollars, or by money order or cashier's check paid at time of physical transfer of the grain from
the seller or his agent to the buyer or his agent;
(f) A manufacturer or processor of registered or unregistered feed who purchases grain exclusively from grain dealers or who pays for grain purchased from producers at the time of delivery
of said grain by the producer, and whose resale of such grain is solely in the form of manufactured or processed feed or feed by-products or whole feed grains to be used by the purchaser
thereof as feed;]
(c) Any person or entity whose grain purchases in the state of Missouri are made exclusively from licensed grain dealers;
[(16)] (18) "Grain transport vehicle", a truck, tractor-trailer unit, wagon, pup, or any other
vehicle or trailer used by a dealer, whether owned or leased by him, to transport grain which he
has purchased; except that, bulk or bagged feed delivery trucks which are used principally for the
purpose of hauling feed and any trucks for which the licensed gross weight does not exceed
twenty-four thousand pounds shall not be construed to be a grain transport vehicle;
[(17)] (19) "Insolvent" or "insolvency", (a) an excess of liabilities over assets or (b) the inability
of a person to meet his financial obligations as they come due, or both (a) and (b);
[(18)] (20) "Interested person", any person having a contractual or other financial interest in
grain sold to a dealer, licensed, or required to be licensed;
[(19)] (21) "Location", any site other than the principal office where the grain dealer engages in
the business of purchasing grain;
(22) "Minimum price contract", a conditional grain sales transaction establishing an
agreed upon minimum price where the seller may participate in subsequent price gain, if
any. Ownership of the grain, and the right to sell it, transfers from the seller to the buyer
so long as the conditions specified in section 276.461 and section 411.325, RSMo, are met;
[(20)] (23) "Person", any individual, partnership, corporation, cooperative, society, association,
trustee, receiver, public body, political subdivision or any other legal or commercial entity of any
kind whatsoever, and any member, officer or employee thereof;
[(21)] (24) "Producer", any owner, tenant or operator of land who has an interest in and receives
all or any part of the proceeds from the sale of grain or livestock produced thereon;
[(22) "Public accountant", any person permitted to engage in the practice of public accounting
under chapter 326, RSMo;
(23)] (25) "Purchase", to buy or contract to buy grain;
[(24)] (26) "Sale", the passing of title from the seller to the buyer in consideration of the
payment or promise of payment of a certain price in money, or its equivalent;
[(25)] (27) "Value", any consideration sufficient to support a simple contract.
276.411. 1. No person shall engage in business as a grain dealer in the state of Missouri without
having obtained a license therefor issued by the director pursuant to sections 276.401 to
[276.581] 276.582. Following an administrative hearing, the director may require the dealer to
pay a penalty of not more than five hundred dollars for each day the dealer is found to be
operating without a license or bond. In determining whether to assess the penalty, the director
shall ascertain whether the dealer has continued to operate without a license or bond after being
informed by the department in writing by certified mail of the need for licensing or bonding.
Any penalties collected by the director under this section shall be deposited in the general
revenue fund to the credit of the grain regulatory services program. In the event that a person
penalized under this section fails to pay the penalty, the director may apply to the circuit court of
Cole County for, and the court is authorized to enter, an order enforcing the assessed penalty.
2. Each application for a license to engage in business as a grain dealer shall be filed with the
director and shall be in a form prescribed by the director.
3. The application for an initial license may be filed at any time prior to beginning business as a
grain dealer; however, such license shall terminate on the last day of the fifth month after the
close of the grain dealer's fiscal year, except that the initial licensing period shall be for at least
six months but not longer than eighteen months. The grain dealer shall set forth on the original
application the closing date for his fiscal year.
4. At least sixty days prior to the expiration of each license issued by the director under this
chapter, the director shall notify the dealer of the date of expiration and furnish the dealer with
the renewal application. The dealer shall submit the renewal application to the director at least
thirty days prior to the date of expiration of the license. The dealer shall be penalized ten dollars
per day for each day the renewal application is submitted after the date the application for a
renewal license is due. The date of submission of the renewal application shall be the date
postmarked. Any person licensed under both the provisions of sections 276.401 to [276.581]
276.582 and sections 411.010 to [411.765] 411.800, RSMo, who submits a combination
warehouse-grain dealer renewal application shall not be assessed a penalty for late renewal in
excess of ten dollars per day.
5. The original application shall be accompanied by a filing fee [of fifteen dollars] pursuant to
section 276.506.
276.421. 1. All applications shall be accompanied by a true and accurate financial statement of
the applicant, prepared within six months of the date of application, setting forth all the assets,
liabilities and net worth of the applicant. All applications shall also be accompanied by a true
and accurate statement of income and expenses for the applicant's most recently completed fiscal
year. The financial statements required by this chapter shall be prepared in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles; except that, the director may promulgate rules allowing
for the valuation of assets by competent appraisal.
2. The financial statement required by subsection 1 of this section shall be audited[,] or
reviewed [or compiled] by a [public accountant or a] certified public accountant[, or compiled
and prepared by a person competent in the application of generally accepted accounting principles or a financial statement as submitted to a bank and signed and notarized by a bank officer to
affirm that such financial statement is on file with the bank and in the opinion of the bank officer
represents the true and accurate financial statement of the applicant]. The financial statement
may not be audited[,] or reviewed[, compiled or prepared] by the applicant, or an employee of
the applicant, if an individual, or, if the applicant is a corporation or partnership, by an officer,
shareholder, partner, or a direct employee of the applicant.
3. The director may require any additional information or verification with respect to the
financial resources of the applicant as he deems necessary for the effective administration of this
chapter. The director may promulgate rules setting forth minimum standards of acceptance for
the various types of financial statements filed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
The director may promulgate rules requiring a statement of retained earnings, a statement of
changes in financial position, and notes and disclosures to the financial statements for all
licensed grain dealers or all grain dealers required to be licensed. The additional information or
verification referred to herein may include, but is not limited to, requiring that the financial
statement information be reviewed or audited in accordance with standards established by the
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
4. All grain dealers shall provide the director with a copy of all financial statements and updates
to financial statements utilized to secure the bonds required by sections 276.401 to [276.581]
276.582.
5. All financial statements submitted to the director for the purposes of this chapter shall be
accompanied by a certification by the applicant or the chief executive officer of the applicant,
subject to the penalty provision set forth in subsection 4 of section 276.536, that to the best of his
knowledge and belief the financial statement accurately reflects the financial condition of the
applicant for the fiscal period covered in the statement.
6. Any person who knowingly prepares or assists in the preparation of an inaccurate or false
financial statement which is submitted to the director for the purposes of this chapter, or who
during the course of providing bookkeeping services or in [compiling,] reviewing[,] or auditing a
financial statement which is submitted to the director for the purposes of this chapter, becomes
aware of false information in the financial statement and does not disclose in notes accompanying the financial statements that such false information exists, or does not disassociate himself
from the financial statements prior to submission, is guilty of a class C felony. Additionally,
such persons are liable for any damages incurred by sellers of grain selling to a grain dealer who
is licensed or allowed to maintain his license based upon inaccuracies or falsifications contained
in the financial statement.
7. Except as set forth in section 276.511 which mandates higher requirements for class I
grain dealers, any licensed grain dealer or applicant for a grain dealer's license who purchases
less than four hundred thousand dollars worth of grain, during the dealer's last completed fiscal
year, in the state of Missouri and those states with whom Missouri has entered into contracts or
agreements as authorized by section 276.566 must maintain a minimum net worth equal to the
greater of ten thousand dollars or five percent of such grain purchases. If grain purchases during
the dealer's last completed fiscal year are four hundred thousand dollars or more, the dealer must
maintain a net worth equal to the greater of twenty thousand dollars or one percent of grain
purchases. If the dealer or applicant is deficient in meeting this net worth requirement, he must
post additional bond as required in section 276.436.
276.423. 1. The department shall make at least one complete examination of each state licensed
class I, class II and class III grain dealer each year and may examine class IV, class V and
class VI state licensed grain dealers, but not more than once per year for any such dealer.
[The examination shall be at the expense of the class I grain dealer who shall be charged a fee
established by the director based upon the amount paid by the dealer for grain purchased in the
state of Missouri and those states with which Missouri has entered into contracts or agreements
as authorized by section 276.566 during the dealer's last completed fiscal year. In the case of a
dealer who has been engaged in business as a grain dealer for less than one year or who has not
previously engaged in such business, the fee shall be based on the estimated aggregate amount to
be paid by the dealer for grain purchased in the state of Missouri and those states with which
Missouri has entered into contracts or agreements as authorized by section 276.566 during the
applicant's initial fiscal year. Class I grain dealers that hold a state warehouse license under
chapter 411, RSMo, shall not be charged an additional fee for the annual grain dealer audit
required by this section.] The annual grain dealer [audit] examination for [class I] grain dealers
holding a federal warehouse license under the United States Warehouse Act may be waived if the
director is satisfied as to the quality of the audit performed under the United States Warehouse
Act and receives a full copy of such audit. [If the director deems it necessary to conduct a grain
dealer audit of the class I grain dealer holding a warehouse license under the United States
Warehouse Act, the director may collect a fee for such audit in accordance with the fee allowed
for grain dealer audits in this section. The minimum examination fee shall be fifty dollars. The
examination shall include a weigh-up of all grain or a measure-up of all grain, as may be elected
by the class I dealer and as applicable. The department may make annual audits of class II, class
III or class IV dealers. The fee for any such audit shall be fifty dollars.]
2. Any additional examinations deemed necessary by the department during any year shall be at
the expense of the department. If upon any examination a discrepancy is found to exist, the
director may collect a fee for that examination and for any subsequent examination deemed
necessary to insure that the discrepancy is corrected. The fee for each such examination shall be
computed in accordance with rates established by the director by rule. This subsection applies
equally to [class II, III, IV] all classes of grain dealers which may be examined by the department.
3. Any dealer may request additional examinations at the expense of the dealer. The director
may collect a fee for each special or requested examination or for extra work beyond regular
examination procedures in connection with regularly scheduled examinations, computed in
accordance with the rates established in section 276.506.
4. Upon completion of any examination which reveals a failure to comply with the provisions of
sections 276.401 to [276.581] 276.582, and the regulations promulgated hereunder, the director
or any department auditor, within a reasonable time, shall present a written discrepancy report to
the dealer, his employee or agent. The report shall specify the areas of noncompliance and shall
give a specific period of time, reasonable and practical under the circumstances, within which
corrective action is to be taken. A report of that corrective action shall be sent to the director. If,
after further examination, the discrepancy still exists, the director may modify, suspend or revoke
the dealer's license, or the director may take whatever other action he deems necessary consistent
with the provisions of sections 276.401 to [276.581] 276.582 until the dealer has corrected the
discrepancy.
5. The director is hereby authorized to issue subpoena duces tecum to any financial institutions,
or to any other type of business entity, causing them to deliver any and all records of a licensee,
or any and all records kept pertaining to a licensee or any person who in the opinion of the
director may need to be licensed. Such financial institutions, or other business entities, are
hereby authorized and required to deliver any and all such records to the director notwithstanding
any law to the contrary. This section applies to persons or individual accounts or transactions as
well as to corporate records where the licensee, or person, who in the opinion of the director,
needs to be licensed, is conducting business in corporate form.
276.426. 1. Every person licensed as a grain dealer shall have filed with the director a surety
bond executed and signed by the grain dealer as principal and issued by a responsible corporate
surety licensed to execute surety bonds in the state of Missouri. It is a violation of sections
276.401 to [276.581] 276.582 for any person to engage in the business of being a grain dealer
without a sufficient surety bond on file with the department, on a form prescribed and furnished
by the director.
2. Such bond shall be in favor of the state of Missouri, except as authorized by section 276.581,
with the director as trustee for the benefit of all persons selling grain to the grain dealer, and their
legal representatives, attorneys or assigns, and shall be conditioned upon the following:
(1) The dealer as a buyer paying to the seller the agreed-upon purchase price of the grain
purchased from the seller where title to said grain transferred from the seller to the buyer
within the state of Missouri;
(2) The grain dealer's faithful performance of his duties as a licensed grain dealer and his
compliance with sections 276.401 to [276.581] 276.582 and regulations promulgated hereunder.
This section applies to purchases made from the effective date of the bond until the bond is
canceled, except as otherwise provided in sections 276.401 to [276.581.] 276.582;
(3) The bond required by this section shall cover the agreed-upon minimum price of any
valid minimum price contract;
(4) The bond required by this section shall not cover payment for any promissory note
accepted by the seller of grain. To be considered a promissory note, the note must contain
the signature of both seller and buyer, date the note was executed, dollar amount of the
note, payment terms and interest rate.
3. A surety bond required or allowed by sections 276.401 to [276.581] 276.582 shall be effective
on the date of issue, shall not be affected by the expiration of the license period, and shall
continue in full force and effect until canceled. The continuous nature of a bond, however, shall
in no event be construed to allow the liability of the surety under a bond to accumulate for each
successive license period during which the bond is in force, but shall be limited in the aggregate
to the amount stated on the bond or as changed, from time to time, by appropriate endorsement or
rider.
4. The required bond shall be kept in force at all times while the dealer is conducting business as
a licensed grain dealer. Failure to keep such bond in force is cause for revocation of the license,
and the dealer is subject to the penalties provided in this chapter. No dealer may cancel an
approved bond without the prior written approval of the director and the director's approval of a
substitute bond.
5. A grain dealer filing bonds required under sections 276.401 to [276.581] 276.582, or
regulations promulgated thereunder who is also licensed under chapter 411, RSMo, shall utilize
the same corporate surety for all bonds required to be licensed under chapter 411, RSMo, and as
a grain dealer.
6. Upon written demand of the director for payment, the surety shall either pay over to the
director the sum demanded up to the full face amount of the bond, or shall deposit the sum
demanded in an interest-bearing escrow account at the highest rate of interest available. When a
surety pays the director upon demand, the director shall either interplead the sum in court or hold
an administrative hearing for the determination of the liability of the surety, and the validity of
claims against the bond, and upon the conclusion thereof, the director shall distribute the bond
proceeds accordingly. The determination of the director shall be final, subject to the surety's or a
claimant's right to appeal to the circuit court pursuant to the provisions of chapter 536, RSMo.
Refusal or failure of the surety to pay the sum demanded to the director within ten days of receipt
of the director's demand letter or the refusal or failure to deposit the sum demanded in an
interest-bearing escrow account at the highest rate of interest available, shall be grounds for
withdrawal of the surety's license and authorization to conduct business in this state, and grounds
for the court to penalize the surety, for refusal to pay or to deposit within the ten days of demand,
in the amount of twenty-five percent of the full face amount of the bond, plus interest at the rate
of nine percent, or at the rate that the director can establish he would have received had the
money been paid or deposited by the surety, whichever rate of interest is higher. In the event that
the surety pays as demanded and the director or court determines the surety is not liable, the
director shall return to the surety the sum paid to the director plus all accumulated interest, or any
pro rata part of the sum, plus interest, as applicable in the event of liability less than the sum
demanded. In the event that the surety elects to deposit the demanded sum in an interest-bearing
escrow account and the director holds an administrative hearing determining the liability of the
surety and the validity of claims, and upon the exhaustion of appeals, if any, the surety immediately shall pay to the director for distribution to claimants the amount for which the surety has
been determined to be liable plus accumulated interest on that amount.
7. Every bond filed shall contain a provision that it may not be canceled by the principal or
surety company except upon ninety days' prior notice in writing, by certified mail, to the director
at his Jefferson City office. In the case of a surety giving notice of cancellation, a copy of such
notice shall be mailed, by certified mail, on the same day to the principal. The cancellation does
not affect the liability accrued or which may accrue under such bond before the expiration of the
ninety days. The notice shall contain the termination date. In the event such notice procedures
are not followed, the bond shall remain in full force and effect until properly canceled.
8. Whenever the director receives notice from a surety that it intends to cancel the bond of a
dealer, the director shall automatically suspend the dealer's license if a new bond is not received
by the director within thirty days of receipt of the notice of intent to cancel. If a new bond is not
received within sixty days of receipt of the notice of intent to cancel, the director shall revoke the
dealer's license. The director may cause an inspection of the grain dealer at the end of this
sixty-day period. Such inspection may include an attempt to identify all possible grain sellers
and related claimants of the dealer by advertising for same in local news media.
9. Verbal or written surety bond binders issued by a surety on behalf of a grain dealer for
original or replacement bonds are hereby recognized as legally effective in the state of Missouri
as if the bond were fully executed when such binders meet the following conditions:
(1) The dealer or principal has paid, or has promised to pay, the surety an agreed upon or
tentatively agreed upon premium or other consideration;
(2) The surety provides the department, either in writing or verbally:
(a) A bond number;
(b) The amount of the bond;
(c) The effective date of the bond;
(d) Either verbal or written assurance that the person providing the preceding information has
authority to commit the surety. Such binders may be canceled only in the manner provided in
subsection 8 of this section. The director may or may not accept such a binder depending on the
particular circumstances involved and consistent with the orderly administration of this chapter.
276.436. 1. The total amount of the surety bond required of a dealer licensed pursuant to
sections 276.401 to [276.581] 276.582 shall be established by the director by rule, but in no event
shall such bond be less than twenty thousand dollars nor more than three hundred thousand
dollars, except as authorized by other provisions of sections 276.401 to [276.581] 276.582.
2. The formula for determining the amount of bond shall be established by the director by rule
and shall be computed at a rate of no less than the principal amount to the nearest one thousand
dollars, equal to not less than one percent and not more than five percent of the aggregate dollar
amount paid by the dealer for grain purchased in the state of Missouri and those states with
whom Missouri has entered into contracts or agreements as authorized by section 276.566 during
the dealer's last completed fiscal year, or, in the case of a dealer who has been engaged in
business as a grain dealer for less than one year or who has not previously engaged in such
business, not less than one percent and not more than five percent of the estimated aggregate
dollar amount to be paid by the dealer for grain purchased in the state of Missouri and those
states with whom Missouri has entered into contracts or agreements as authorized by section
276.566 during the applicant's initial fiscal year.
3. Any licensed grain dealer or applicant who has, at any time, a net worth less than the amount
required by subsection 7 of section 276.421, shall be required to obtain a surety bond in the
amount of one thousand dollars for each one thousand dollars or fraction thereof of the net worth
deficiency. Failure to post such additional bond is grounds for refusal to license or the suspension or revocation of a license issued under sections 276.401 to [276.581] 276.582. This
additional bond can be in addition to or greater than or both in addition to and greater than the
maximum bond as set by this section.
4. The director may, when the question arises as to a grain dealer's ability to pay for grain
purchased, require a grain dealer to post an additional bond in a dollar amount deemed appropriate by the director. Such additional bond can be in addition to or greater than or both in addition
to and greater than the maximum bond as set by this section. The director must furnish to the
dealer, by certified mail, a written statement of the reasons for requesting additional bond and the
reasons for questioning the dealer's ability to pay. Failure to post such additional bond is a
ground for modification, suspension or revocation by the director of a license issued under
sections 276.401 to [276.581] 276.582. The determination of insufficiency of a bond and of the
amount of the additional bond shall be based upon evidence presented to the director that a
dealer:
(1) Is or may be unable to meet his dollar or grain obligations as they become due;
(2) Has acted or is acting in a way which might lead to the impairment of his capital;
(3) As a result of his activity, inactivity, or purchasing and pricing practices and procedures,
including, but not limited to, the dealer's deferred pricing or deferred payment practices and
procedures, is or may be unable to honor his grain purchase obligations arising out of his dealer
business. The amount of the additional bond required under this subsection shall not exceed the
amount of the dealer's current loss position. Current loss position shall be the sum of the dealer's
current liabilities less current assets or the amount by which he is currently unable to meet the
grain purchase obligations arising out of his dealer business.
5. One bond, cumulative as to minimum requirements, may be given where a dealer has multiple
licenses; except however, that in computing the amount of the single bond the grain dealer may
add together the total purchases of grain of all locations to be covered thereby and use the
aggregate total purchases for the fiscal year for the purpose of computing bond. However, this
single cumulative bond must be at least equal to twenty thousand dollars per dealer license
issued up to the three hundred thousand maximum bond amount specified in subsection 1
of this section. When a grain dealer elects to provide a single bond for a number of licensed
locations, the total assets of all the licensed locations shall be subject to liabilities of each
individual licensed location.
6. Failure of a grain dealer to provide and file a bond and financial statement and to keep such
bond in force shall be grounds for the suspension or revocation, by the director, of a license
issued under sections 276.401 to [276.581] 276.582.
7. A dealer shall be required to post additional surety bond when he surpasses the estimated
aggregate dollar amount to be paid for grain purchased as set forth in subsection 2 of this section.
Such additional bond shall be determined by the director so as to effectively protect sellers of
grain dealing with such dealer.
276.441. 1. Any grain dealer who is of the opinion that his net worth is sufficient to guarantee
payment for grain purchased by him may make a formal, written request to the director that he be
relieved of the obligation of filing a bond in excess of the minimum bond of twenty thousand
dollars. Such request shall be accompanied by a financial statement of the applicant, prepared
within four months of the date of such request and accompanied by such additional information
concerning the applicant and his finances as the director may require which may include the
request for submission of a financial statement audited by a public accountant.
2. If such financial statement discloses a net worth equal to at least [three] five times the amount
of the bond otherwise required by sections 276.401 to [276.581] 276.582, and the director is
otherwise satisfied as to the financial ability and resources of the applicant, the director may
waive that portion of the required bond in excess of twenty thousand dollars for each license
issued.
276.456. 1. Each dealer shall have and conspicuously display in each of his business locations,
within full and unobstructed sight of the public:
(1) Either the original or a certified copy of the dealer license as issued by the director;
(2) Such other materials or information as may be required by the director.
2. Upon written request of a licensee and the payment of the proper fees the director shall issue
to the licensee a certificate that a license has been issued or renewed as required by sections
276.401 to [276.581] 276.582. The number of such certificates shall be based upon the dealer's
request and need as shown by his application.
3. A certificate of license issued or renewed shall be posted in each location listed on a licensee's
application where he engages in the business of a grain dealer but does not keep records
pertaining to his business or transactions as a grain dealer. In the case of a licensee operating
various grain transporting vehicles, the licensee is required to have a certificate that the license is
in effect carried in each grain transporting vehicle used in connection with the purchase and
transporting of grain.
4. The certificate of license shall be displayed upon demand and shall contain information as
deemed necessary by the director.
5. [Each grain transporting vehicle used by a licensee shall be equipped with a registration plate
which shall be in the form and be displayed as prescribed by the director.
6.] All licenses, including, without limitation, [registration plates and] certificates of license,
shall be and remain the property of the director and shall be subject to revocation, cancellation or
repossession, as provided by sections 276.401 to [276.581] 276.582.
276.461. 1. In general, a person licensed as a grain dealer shall make payment of the
agreed-upon purchase price to the seller of grain upon delivery or demand of said seller or his
authorized agent, unless a written grain purchase contract or valid deferred payment contract
shall provide otherwise. However, every person licensed as a grain dealer shall establish and
properly document the agreed-upon purchase price of all grain he buys as prescribed by the
director or as otherwise provided by law. When a dealer has failed to make payment upon
demand of the seller and such failure has come to the attention of the director, the director may
request the dealer to make payment. Such request may be made verbally or in writing. The
director may require the dealer to make payment with a certified or cashier's check, or in cash.
The license may be modified, suspended or revoked if the dealer fails to make timely payment as
requested by the director.
2. A person licensed as a class I dealer shall properly document the agreed upon, between buyer
and seller, purchase price of grain, as prescribed by the director, and shall make payment upon
demand. However, if no demand for payment is made, a class I dealer has the option of entering
the account, as prescribed by the director, onto a formal settlement sheet or paying the seller the
agreed upon price. Such entry onto a formal settlement sheet must occur within thirty days of
delivery. When an account is so entered onto a formal settlement sheet, payment shall be made
the earlier of demand or one hundred eighty days from delivery. If payment is not made at the
conclusion of the one hundred eighty day period, a formal written contract as provided for in
subsections [7 and] 8 and 11 of this section shall be executed.
3. A person licensed as a class II dealer shall properly document the agreed upon, between
buyer and seller, purchase price of grain, as prescribed by the director, and shall make
payment upon demand. However, if no demand for payment is made, a class II dealer has
the option of entering the account, as prescribed by the director, onto a formal settlement
sheet or paying the seller the agreed upon price. Such entry onto a formal settlement sheet
must occur within thirty days of delivery. When an account is so entered onto a formal
settlement sheet, payment shall be made on demand or within one hundred eighty days
from delivery, whichever occurs first. A class II dealer shall not enter into any type of
credit sales contract.
[3.] 4. A person licensed as a class [II] III, IV, V or VI grain dealer shall make payment to the
seller within [ten] thirty days of delivery or upon demand of the seller or his authorized agent,
whichever occurs first. A class III, IV, V, or VI dealer shall not enter into any type of credit
sales contract.
[4. A person licensed as a class III or class IV grain dealer shall make payment to the seller upon
delivery.]
5. Nothing contained in sections 276.401 to [276.581] 276.582 shall be construed to limit or
prohibit the right of a seller of grain to make an oral demand for payment from a dealer, provided
that the right to recover under the surety bond shall be based only upon written demand to the
surety by the seller or by the department on behalf of the claimant.
6. Recovery by a claimant on the bond shall not be his sole or exclusive remedy and shall not bar
a civil action based upon rights or obligations arising under the grain purchase contract.
7. Notwithstanding any provisions of this section, in the case of valid deferred price contracts
the seller of grain shall have no right of recovery under the grain dealer's surety bond. Deferred
price contracts shall be in writing, dated, and shall contain a statement informing the seller that
the seller is relinquishing title and all rights of ownership in the grain, that the grain dealer is
not required to carry bond on the grain for the benefit of the seller, and that the payment for the
grain becomes a common claim against the grain dealer. Only a class I grain dealer may enter
into deferred price contracts.
8. In the case of deferred payment contracts, a class I grain dealer and a seller of grain may agree
that payment be deferred to a future date. The agreement shall be in writing, dated, and shall
contain a statement informing the seller that the seller is transferring title to the buyer and that the
seller is relinquishing all rights in the grain and that the class I dealer is required to carry bond on
the grain for the benefit of the seller for twelve months from the date the contract was entered
into, and that after twelve months, payment for the grain becomes a common claim against the
dealer. No other class of dealer may enter into deferred payment contracts.
9. In the event the license of a grain dealer is revoked by the director for any reason, all deferred
payment agreements executed within the twelve months prior to revocation shall be deemed
priced unpaid obligations as of the effective date of the revocation and as such agreements are
covered by the grain dealer's bond.
10. In the case of minimum price contracts, a class I grain dealer and a seller of grain may
agree upon a minimum price for the grain sold but allow the seller to retain the ability to
participate in subsequent price gains or futures market increases, if any. The agreement
shall be in writing, dated, and shall contain a statement informing the seller that the seller
is transferring title and all rights of ownership in the grain to the buyer, and shall contain
entries stating the agreed upon minimum price and explaining how subsequent price gains
will be calculated. This agreement shall also contain statements informing the seller that
only the payment of the specified minimum price is covered under the dealer's bond for the
benefit of the seller, for, and only for, twelve months from the date the contract was
entered; and that payment for any subsequent price gains, if any, is not covered by bond.
No other class of dealer may enter minimum price contracts.
[10.] 11. For the purposes of this section, deferred price [and], deferred payment, and minimum
price contracts are not deemed valid unless they contain all the required statements and are
signed by both the buyer and seller or their authorized representatives. The director may require
any additional information from a grain dealer that he deems necessary to protect the interests of
the seller of grain in such transactions. Class II, III [and], IV, V and VI grain dealers may not
use or enter into such contracts with sellers of grain.
276.471. 1. The grain dealer shall maintain at his principal place of business current and
complete records with respect to all grain received and withdrawn from, purchased, sold, and
held by him for that business.
[2. All books, records and accounts of a dealer shall be kept and held available for inspection for
a period of not less than three years after the close of the period for which such books or records
were required.]
2. Each licensed grain dealer shall keep in a place of safety, complete and correct records
and accounts of:
(1) The quantity of each kind and class of grain received in his facility and withdrawn
therefrom;
(2) Duplicate copy of receipts, tickets and bills of lading issued by him;
(3) Original receipts and tickets returned to and cancelled by him;
(4) A register which records all grain transactions not evidenced by the dealer's own scale
ticket, i.e., direct farm-to- market shipments. This register shall be updated daily showing,
at a minimum, the name of the seller, quantity of grain, date of shipment, name of terminal
or other business accepting the physical commodity, destination scale ticket number and
whether the grain was delivered for sale, or other specified purpose.
3. In addition to the records required by subsections 1 and 2 of this section, the grain
dealer shall maintain such adequate financial records as will clearly reflect his current
financial position and will clearly support any financial information required to be
submitted to the director for licensing, auditing, inspection and/or investigation purposes.
4. A grain dealer licensed or required to be licensed under this chapter shall keep available
for examination all books, records and accounts required by this chapter and any other
books, records and accounts relevant to his operating a grain dealer business for a period
of not less than three years after the close of the period for which such books or records
were required. An examination may be performed by the director or his representative,
and may take place at any time during the normal business hours of the dealer or, if prior
notice of the examination is given to the grain dealer, at such time as is prescribed in that
notice.
276.486. 1. The director may apply for a restraining order or a temporary or permanent
injunction against the operation of a dealer which is in violation of sections 276.401 to [276.581]
276.582 or regulations promulgated hereunder or in order to enforce sections 276.401 to
[276.581] 276.582 or such regulations, notwithstanding the existence of other remedies at law.
The restraining order or injunction may be prosecuted by the attorney general or the prosecuting
attorney of the proper county upon request of the director.
2. The director may apply for a restraining order or a temporary or permanent injunction
enjoining a grain dealer from disposing of any grain owned, in whole or in part, or held or in his
possession whether owned in whole or in part, or enjoining anyone from removing any grain in
which the grain dealer or claimants from which he has purchased grain have an interest. The
restraining order or injunction may be prosecuted by the attorney general or the prosecuting
attorney of the proper county upon request of the director.
3. The director shall have power in the conduct of any investigation or hearing authorized or
held by him to:
(1) Examine, or cause to be examined, under oath, any person;
(2) Examine, or cause to be examined, books and records of any dealer or warehouseman;
(3) Hear such testimony and take such evidence as will assist him in the discharge of his duties
under this chapter;
(4) Administer or cause to be administered oaths; [and]
(5) Issue subpoenas to require the attendance of witnesses and the production of books[.]; and
(6) Serve, or cause to be served, any subpoena, petition, or order required for the administration of this chapter.
4. Any circuit court may, by order duly entered, require the attendance of witnesses and the
production of relevant books and records subpoenaed by the director, and the court may compel
obedience to its order by proceedings for contempt.
276.491. 1. The director may, after a hearing or upon verified complaint filed by any person,
modify, suspend or revoke the license of any person licensed under sections 276.401 to
[276.581] 276.582 for the violation of or failure to comply with the provisions of sections
276.401 to [276.581] 276.582 or regulations promulgated pursuant to sections 276.401 to
[276.581] 276.582.
2. Any information of a verified complaint stating the grounds for modification, suspension or
revocation shall be filed with the director. The director shall notify the licensee of the complaint
and furnish him with a copy of the information or the complaint and a copy of the order of the
director fixing the time for a hearing, which time shall be at least five days but not more than
thirty days from the date of notification. Such written notification may be served by personal
service on the licensee or by mailing the same by registered or certified mail to the place of
business specified by the licensee in the last application or notification to the director.
3. If at any time the director determines that the public good requires immediate action, and that
there is reasonable cause to believe that there exists a violation of sections 276.401 to [276.581]
276.582 or regulations promulgated pursuant hereunder, and that the nature of the violation is
such that there exists an immediate danger of loss to any claimant, the director may, upon the
filing of the information or the complaint with the licensee, without hearing, temporarily suspend
a license pending the determination of the complaint. Such temporary suspension shall be for not
longer than ninety days. When a license is suspended without hearing, however, the director
shall grant a hearing to be held in accordance with the provisions of sections 276.401 to
[276.581] 276.582 as soon thereafter as is possible, but not later than five days after such
temporary suspension.
4. At the time and place fixed in the notice, the director shall proceed to hear the matter and any
charges made, and both the licensee and complainant shall be accorded ample opportunity to
present in person or by counsel such statement, testimony, evidence, and arguments as may be
pertinent to the matter or charges or to any defense thereto. The director may continue such
hearing from time to time.
5. Any person aggrieved by the decision of the director may appeal the decision as provided in
chapter 536, RSMo.
6. Upon revocation of a license, any claim shall be filed against the former licensee and the
surety company within one hundred twenty days after the date of revocation. Failure to timely
file such claim shall defeat the claim for the purposes of recovery under the grain dealer's bond.
276.501. 1. If at any time the director has evidence that a dealer is insolvent or is unable to
satisfy the claims of all sellers, the director may petition the circuit court in the county where the
dealer's principal place of business is located [as shown on the license application], for an ex
parte order authorizing the director or his authorized agent to seize, and take title and possession,
as trustee, of any grain in the dealer's possession or under the dealer's control, and of all pertinent
records and property as provided for in subsection 2 of this section.
2. Upon receipt of the director's verified petition setting forth the circumstances of the dealer's
failure to comply with sections [276.501 to 276.581] 276.401 to 276.582, and further stating
reasons why immediate possession by the director or his authorized agent is necessary for the
protection of grain sellers or sureties, the court is authorized to issue an ex parte order authorizing the director or his authorized agent to take immediate possession for the purposes stated in
this section. A copy of the petition and order shall be sent to the dealer. If appropriate, the court
may order the director's taking possession of only grain-related assets and not the entire business
of the dealer. Such order may include, but is not limited to, the following:
(1) The director locking down and securing, by padlocks or other appropriate means, the grain
storage bins, scales, offices, equipment and rolling stock of the dealer;
(2) Removing and excluding the dealer, or any and all of the dealer's employees, from the
facility;
(3) Prohibiting the dealer from engaging in any grain-related business transactions whatever
during the director's possession of the grain-related assets of the dealer's business;
(4) Authorizing all financial institutions to place all business accounts of the dealer under the
director's authority and to freeze all transactions involving such accounts except to honor
outstanding checks written previous to the issuance of the court's order. If it appears that the
dealer has conducted, in part, his grain dealer business through the use of personal accounts as
opposed to business accounts, or intermingled two or more such accounts, the court may
authorize the applicable financial institutions to place such personal accounts, as well as the
business accounts, under the authority of the director in order to allow the director to accurately
determine the extent of all grain-related obligations incurred by the dealer, the correct status of
same and the dealer's resources to pay his grain-related obligations;
(5) Authorizing the director to redeliver or sell depositor or dealer-owned grain, as appropriate
in the circumstances and setting forth the conditions for doing such;
(6) Authorizing the director to deposit all grain-related assets and proceeds therefrom in an
interest-bearing escrow account to be disbursed only upon orders of the court;
(7) Directing the dealer to provide the director with all grain-related business documents which
come into his possession subsequent to the director's possession of the grain-related assets, as
well as any other grain-related documents which the dealer may have knowledge of and which
are not at the dealer's facility.
3. At any time within ten days after the director or his authorized agent takes possession, the
dealer may file with the court a response to the petition of the director stating reasons why the
director or his authorized agent should not be allowed to retain possession. The court shall set
the matter for hearing on a date not more than fifteen days from the date of the filing of the
dealer's response. The order placing the director or his authorized agent in possession shall not
be stayed nor set aside until such time as the court, after hearing, determines that possession
should be restored to the dealer.
4. Upon taking possession, the director shall give written notice of his action to the surety on the
bond of the dealer and may notify all known sellers as shown by the dealer's records.
5. The director or his authorized agent shall retain possession obtained under this section until
such time as the dealer or the surety on the bond shall have satisfied the claims of all sellers, or
until such time as the director or his authorized agent is ordered by the court to surrender
possession. At no time while the director or his authorized agent is in possession of a dealer's
business, as authorized by this section, shall the director, or his authorized agent be required to
operate the dealer's business; nor shall the director or his authorized agent be liable for any
claims which have arisen or could arise from the nonoperation of the dealer's business.
6. If at any time, the director, whether or not he or his authorized agent has possession as
authorized by this section, has evidence that a dealer is insolvent or is unable to satisfy the
claims of all sellers, the director may petition the circuit court for the appointment of a
receiver to operate or liquidate the business of the dealer in accordance with law.
7. All necessary expenses incurred by the director, his authorized agents or any receiver
appointed under this section, in carrying out the provisions of this section may be recovered from the dealer in a separate civil action brought by the director in the circuit court or
as part of the seizure or receivership action filed under this section. If the director or any
of his authorized agents seize and take possession of the grain, records or property at the
dealer's facility, the dealer may be assessed and shall pay as part of the necessary expenses
incurred a fee of one hundred dollars per person for each day or part thereof that each
such person performs such activities. The cost of liability insurance necessary to protect the
director, the receiver, and others engaged in carrying out the provisions of this section, may be
recovered as part of the necessary expenses.
276.506. 1. The director shall collect fees as follows:
(1) A filing fee of [fifteen] twenty-five dollars for each original application for license filed;
(2) A license fee of [twenty-five] forty dollars for the issuance of an original or renewal license;
(3) [A fee of five dollars for each duplicate vehicle registration plate;
(4)] A fee for each special or requested [inspection] examination of a grain dealer for extra
work beyond regular [inspection] examination procedures in connection with regular scheduled
[inspections] examinations computed as follows:
(a) Necessary personal expenses in conformance with the rules and regulations promulgated by
the commissioner of administration pursuant to section 33.090, RSMo;
(b) A mileage allowance equal to the allowance established by the commissioner of administration pursuant to section 33.095, RSMo;
(c) [Ten] Twenty dollars for each man-hour required to complete the inspection.
2. [The director shall establish an annual registration fee of not less than five dollars nor more
than ten dollars for each vehicle used by the license holder in the transportation of grain.
3.] All fees collected by the director under sections 276.401 to [276.581] 276.582 shall be
deposited in the general revenue fund of the state. No fees shall be prorated.
[4.] 3. Nonpayment of fees shall be grounds for refusal to issue or renew a license or for
suspension or revocation of a grain dealer's license.
[5.] 4. Notwithstanding other provisions of sections 276.401 to [276.581] 276.582, a grain dealer
licensed under sections 276.401 to [276.581] 276.582 who is also licensed by the state of
Missouri under chapter 411, RSMo, shall not be charged application filing fees or licensing fees
authorized by sections 276.401 to [276.581; however, all fees required or authorized by sections
276.401 to 276.581 for the issuance of vehicle registration plates or registration of grain
transporting vehicles shall be charged to such grain dealer] 276.582.
276.511. 1. For the purpose of regulation, all dealers shall be classified according to their type
of business operation.
2. Dealers that meet the requirements set forth below may be classified as class I dealers:
(1) Each class I grain dealer must have and maintain a net worth equal to the greater of
fifty thousand dollars or two percent of grain purchases;
(2) Each class I grain dealer shall be open for business every business day for a period of
not less than six hours between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., except as provided in
subdivision (3) of this subsection. The dealer shall keep conspicuously posted on the door
of the public entrance to his office a notice showing the hours during which the business
will be kept open, except when such business is kept open continuously from 9:00 a.m. to
4:00 p.m.;
(3) In case the dealer's office is not to be kept open as required by subdivision (2) of this
subsection, the notice posted as prescribed in that subdivision shall state the period during
which the business is to be closed and the name of an accessible person, with the address
where he is to be found, and the telephone number, if any, of whom shall be authorized to
pay for grain sold to such dealer business.
[2.] 3. Dealers also licensed as warehousemen under chapter 411, RSMo, or under the United
States Warehouse Act that do not meet the requirements of class I dealers are class [I] II
dealers.
(1) Each class II grain dealer shall be open for business every business day for a period of
not less than six hours between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., except as provided in
subdivision (2) of this subsection. The dealer shall keep conspicuously posted on the door
of the public entrance to his office a notice showing the hours during which the business
will be kept open, except when such business is kept open continuously from 9:00 a.m. to
4:00 p.m.;
(2) In case the dealer's office is not to be kept open as required by subdivision (1) of this
subsection, the notice posted as prescribed in that subdivision shall state the period during
which the business is to be closed and the name of an accessible person, with the address
where he is to be found, and the telephone number, if any, of whom shall be authorized to
pay for grain sold to such dealer business.
[3.] 4. Dealers using physical facilities, in which bulk grain may be stored or held, in the
operation of their dealer business, maintain an office, and not licensed as a warehouseman under
chapter 411, RSMo, or the United States Warehouse Act, may be classified by the director as
class [II] III grain dealers.
(1) Each class III grain dealer shall be open for business every business day for a period of
not less than six hours between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., except as provided in
subdivision (2) of this subsection. The dealer shall keep conspicuously posted on the door
of the public entrance to his office a notice showing the hours during which the business
will be kept open, except when such business is kept open continuously from 9:00 a.m. to
4:00 p.m.;
(2) In case the dealer's office is not to be kept open as required by subdivision (1) of this
subsection, the notice posted as prescribed in that subdivision shall state the period during
which the business is to be closed and the name of an accessible person, with the address
where he is to be found, and the telephone number, if any, of whom shall be authorized to
pay for grain sold to such dealer business.
[4.] 5. Dealers primarily engaged in the trucking or transportation business, who incidental to or
as a part of such business buy or sell grain, may be classified by the director as class [III] IV
dealers.
6. Notwithstanding subdivision (18) of section 276.404 to the contrary, dealers whose grain
transactions are only comprised of sales of grain from their own farming operations may
apply for a class V grain dealers license.
[5.] 7. All dealers who are not class I, II, [or] III, IV or V dealers are class [IV] VI dealers.
[6.] 8. The director may establish, by rule or regulation, additional requirements for the
regulation of all classes of grain dealers. Such rules and regulations shall not be inconsistent
with the provisions of sections 276.401 to [276.581] 276.582.
276.516. [Each load of grain delivered to and received by a class I dealer shall be evidenced by a
completed scale ticket which shall be in a form as prescribed by the director.] 1. A scale ticket,
or other document approved by the director, shall be made out and filed for each movement of grain in or out of any grain facility owned or operated by a dealer licensed or
required to be licensed under the provisions of this chapter. All scale tickets shall be
printed with the business name and location and consecutively numbered. They must be
issued in consecutive order. A copy of all scale tickets shall be kept on file in numerical
order in the grain dealer's office. All other source documents for movement of grain in or
out of the facility shall be in a form approved by the director and kept and maintained in a
manner approved by the director. Any scale ticket or other source document used in
pricing grain for the purpose of sale to the grain dealer shall have the price shown on all
copies of the ticket.
2. A scale ticket issued in accordance with the provisions of this chapter or regulations
promulgated hereunder shall be considered a form of nonnegotiable receipt. This form of
nonnegotiable receipt shall be deemed a document of title. The grain dealer's failure to
complete all entries on a scale ticket as required by this chapter and the rules promulgated
pursuant to this chapter shall constitute a violation on the part of the grain dealer, but shall
not preclude or restrict a seller's right to receive payment for grain sold. The scale ticket
or document issued in lieu of a scale ticket shall constitute prima facie evidence of the
holder's claim for payment for the grain regardless of the degree of compliance with this
chapter with respect to completion of the entries required by this chapter.
3. All scale tickets, or other approved documents, issued shall contain the following
information:
(1) Customer name;
(2) Date issued;
(3) Type of grain;
(4) Quantity of grain;
(5) Notation to show whether the grain movement was IN or OUT;
(6) If movement was IN, whether the grain received was for purchase by the grain dealer,
or for other specified purpose; and
(7) If received for purchase by the grain dealer, the price shall be stated on all copies or
supporting documents.
411.026. The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, except where the
context clearly indicates a different meaning, shall mean:
(1) "Authorized agent", any person who has the legal authority to act on behalf of, or for the
benefit of, another person;
(2) "Certified public accountant", any person licensed as such under chapter 326, RSMo;
(3) "Claimant", any person or depositor who requests, but does not receive, payment for,
or redelivery of, grain stored at a warehouse because the warehouseman fails or refuses to
make such payment or redelivery;
[(2)] (4) "Compensation", anything of value or benefit, whether in cash, kind or otherwise;
(5) "Credit sales contracts", a conditional grain sales contract wherein payment and/or
pricing of the grain is deferred to a later date. Credit sales contracts include, but are not
limited to, all contracts meeting the definition of deferred payment contracts, and/or
delayed price contracts;
[(3)] (6) "Current assets", resources that are reasonably expected to be realized in cash, sold, or
consumed (prepaid items) within one year of the balance sheet date;
[(4)] (7) "Current liabilities", obligations reasonably expected to be liquidated within one year
and the liquidation of which is expected to require the use of existing resources, properly
classified as current assets, or the creation of additional liabilities. Current liabilities include
obligations that, by their terms, are payable on demand unless the creditor has waived, in writing,
the right to demand payment within one year of the balance sheet date;
[(5)] (8) "Deferred payment agreement", a conditional grain sales transaction establishing an
agreed upon price for the grain and delaying payment to an agreed upon later date or time period.
Ownership of the grain, and the right to sell it, transfers from seller to buyer so long as the
conditions specified in section 276.461, RSMo, and section 411.325 are met;
[(6)] (9) "Deferred pricing agreement", a conditional grain sales transaction wherein no price
has been established on the grain, the seller retains the right to price the grain later at a
mutually agreed upon method of price determination. Deferred pricing agreements include,
but are not limited to, contracts commonly known as no price established contracts, price
later contracts, and basis contracts. Ownership of the grain, and the right to sell it, transfers
from seller to buyer so long as the conditions specified in section 276.461, RSMo, and section
411.325 are met;
[(7)] (10) "Delivery", the voluntary physical transfer of grain from one person to another;
[(8)] (11) "Department", the Missouri department of agriculture;
[(9)] (12) "Depositor", any person who deposits grain in a warehouse for storage, handling,
shipment, processing, or who is the owner or holder of a warehouse receipt, or who is otherwise
lawfully entitled to possession of the grain;
[(10)] (13) "Designated representative", an employee or official of the department designated by
the director to assist in the administration and enforcement of the Missouri grain warehouse law;
[(11)] (14) "Director", the director of the Missouri department of agriculture or his designated
representative;
[(12)] (15) "Documents of title" include negotiable and nonnegotiable warehouse receipts [and],
scale tickets, and other documents which are issued in the regular course of a warehouseman's
business, and which adequately evidence that the possessor is entitled to receive, hold, and
dispose of the goods it covers;
[(13)] (16) "Generally accepted accounting principles", the conventions, rules and procedures
necessary to define accepted accounting practice, which include broad guidelines of general
application as well as detailed practices and procedures generally accepted by the accounting
profession, and which have substantial authoritative support from the American Institute of
Certified Public Accountants;
[(14)] (17) "Grain", all grains for which standards have been established under the United States
Grain Standards Act (Sections 71 to 87 of Title 7, United States Code), and any other agricultural
commodities, seeds and vegetable oils prescribed by the director by regulation, except the term
"grain" shall not include those commodities deemed not to be grain pursuant to section 411.028;
[(15)] (18) "Grain inspector", a warehouseman or a person employed by the warehouseman [and
licensed under section 411.115 of this chapter] to inspect, grade or sign warehouse receipts for
grain stored or to be stored in a warehouse licensed under this chapter;
[(16)] (19) "Grain weigher", a warehouseman or a person employed by the warehouseman [and
licensed under section 411.115 of this chapter] to weigh grain stored or to be stored in a
warehouse licensed under this chapter;
[(17)] (20) "Holder of receipt", a person who has possession of a warehouse receipt, or a right of
property therein;
[(18)] (21) "Insolvent" or "insolvency", either, or both of the following:
(a) An excess of liabilities over assets; or
(b) The inability of a warehouseman to meet his financial obligations as they come due;
[(19)] (22) "Interested person", any person having a contractual or other financial interest in
grain stored in a warehouse licensed or required to be licensed under this chapter;
[(20)] (23) "Licensed warehouse", a warehouse for which the department has issued a license to
operate as a public warehouse in accordance with the provisions of this chapter;
[(21)] (24) "Licensed warehouseman", a warehouseman who owns or operates a warehouse
licensed under the provisions of this chapter;
(25) "Minimum price contract", a conditional grain sales transaction establishing an
agreed upon minimum purchase price for the grain and where the seller may participate in
subsequent price gain, if any. Ownership of the grain, and the right to sell it, transfers
from the seller to the buyer so long as the conditions specified in section 276.461, RSMo,
and section 411.325 are met;
[(22)] (26) "Official grain standards", the standards of quality or condition for grain, fixed and
established by the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States of America under the regulations
of the United States Grain Standards Act;
[(23)] (27) "Operator" or "warehouseman", any person who owns, controls, operates or manages
any warehouse whether such owner resides within the state or not;
[(24)] (28) "Person" means and includes any individual, firm, partnership, exchange, association,
trustee, receiver, corporation, cooperative, society, public body, political subdivision, or any
other business or commercial entity or organization of any kind whatsoever, and any member,
officer or employee thereof;
[(25)] (29) "Private warehouse", any warehouse within this state used for the purpose of storing
grain exclusively for the owners or operators of that warehouse and/or individual producers
affiliated with the owner or operator in a landlord/tenant relationship on farmland and,
except as otherwise herein specifically provided, which is not subject to the provisions of this
chapter;
(30) "Producer", any owner, tenant or operator of land who has an interest in and receives
all or any part of the proceeds from the sale of grain or livestock produced thereon;
[(26) "Public accountant", any person permitted to engage in the practice of public accounting
under chapter 326, RSMo;
(27)] (31) "Public warehouse", a warehouse used for the purpose of storing grain of owners other
than the warehousman, whether grain of the owners be commingled or whether identity of
different lots be preserved, or a warehouse used for any purpose for which a license is required
under section 411.255;
[(28)] (32) "Public warehouseman", any person owning or operating a public warehouse whether
that owner or operator resides within the state or not;
[(29)] (33) "Receipt", a grain warehouse receipt, whether negotiable or nonnegotiable, issued
under this chapter;
[(30)] (34) "Regulations" or "rules", rules, regulations and standards promulgated pursuant to
this chapter by the director;
[(31)] (35) "Storage grain" or "stored grain", any grain received in a warehouse, including grain
bank grain, unless sold in accordance with the provisions of section 411.325 or sold in accordance with the provisions of sections 276.401 to [276.581] 276.582, RSMo;
[(32)] (36) "Successor's agreement", a written agreement between any public warehouseman
ceasing operations as a public warehouseman and the person succeeding him which states how
the obligations to depositors will be handled;
[(33)] (37) "Terminal warehouse", any warehouse where the department makes available official
grain inspectors and official weighmasters on a full-time basis;
[(34)] (38) "Terminal warehouseman", the person owning or operating a terminal warehouse
whether such owner or operator resides within the state or not;
[(35)] (39) "Violation", any act contrary to the provisions of this chapter or any failure by a
person to act as required by the provisions of this chapter or regulations promulgated hereunder;
[(36)] (40) "Warehouse", any building, structure or other enclosure in which grain is or may be
stored and through which grain is or may be handled or shipped. All facilities used in connection
with the operation of the warehouse shall be deemed to be part of the warehouse;
[(37)] (41) "Warehouse auditor", or "warehouse examiner", or "inspector", any individual
appointed under this chapter by the director to assist in the administration of the chapter. These
terms shall include persons employed as warehouse examiners under the United States Warehouse Act.
411.070. 1. The director shall:
(1) Supervise the handling, sampling, inspection, weighing and storage of grain in warehouses as
required by this chapter;
(2) Supervise protein or other chemical analysis of grain where laboratories are now or may
hereafter be established;
(3) Keep proper records of all sampling, inspection, weighing, protein or other chemical analysis
performed under the provisions of this chapter;
(4) Employ, fix the salaries and pay all necessary personnel required to administer, execute and
perform the duties required by the provisions of this chapter, including warehouse auditors
whose duties may include making examinations, audits, inspections and investigations authorized
under this chapter;
(5) Cause the operations of warehousemen licensed under this chapter to be examined. The
examinations may include an audit of all grain and all books, documents and records pertaining
to the warehousemen's business operations, to determine whether the interests of producers,
shippers and receivers of grain and the holders of warehouse receipts are adequately protected
and safeguarded;
(6) Take such action or issue such orders as necessary to prevent any fraud upon or discrimination against depositors of grain in warehouses. If upon examination, a deficiency is found to
exist between physical inventory and the warehouseman's obligations, the director may require an
examiner to remain at the warehouse and monitor all operations conducted thereat, involving
grain stored under the provisions of this chapter, until such deficiency is corrected.
2. The director may:
(1) Promulgate and adopt such regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 536,
RSMo, as may be necessary for the efficient and effective enforcement of this chapter;
(2) Designate an employee of the department to act as his designated representative;
(3) Publish such data in connection with the administration of this chapter as may be of public
interest;
(4) Require any forms, records or reports to be filed with the department, by any warehouseman,
that he deems necessary to ensure compliance with the provisions of this chapter;
(5) Examine, or cause to be examined, at reasonable times, any warehouse, including an
examination of grain stored therein and all books, documents and records pertaining thereto, in
order to determine whether or not such facility should be licensed pursuant to this chapter;
(6) Prescribe minimum contents for any forms, records, contracts or reports that grain warehousemen use or by the provisions of this chapter and its pursuant regulations, are required to
issue, file, maintain or keep;
(7) Issue subpoenas duces tecum for any records relating to a grain warehouseman's business;
(8) Prescribe procedures for hearings to be held in accordance with the provisions of this chapter
and regulations promulgated hereunder; provided, however, an appeal from such hearings may be
taken in accordance with the provisions of chapter 536, RSMo;
(9) Conduct, or appoint a designated representative to conduct, administrative hearings pursuant
to the provisions of this chapter and chapter 536, RSMo. Hearings may be conducted for the
purpose of determining the liability of sureties which have filed bonds with the department on
behalf of warehousemen licensed, or required to be licensed, under this chapter. Hearings may
be conducted for the purpose of determining the validity of grain-related claims filed with the
department against such warehousemen and sureties, as well as the subsequent disbursement of
all available funds, pro rata or otherwise, to satisfy claims determined to be valid. An order
issued by the director, or his designated representative, as a result of such hearings shall be final
and legally binding on all parties unless appealed in accordance with the provisions of chapter
536, RSMo[.];
(10) Serve, or cause to be served, any subpoena, petition, or order required for the
administration of this chapter.
3. No rule or portion of a rule promulgated under the authority of this chapter shall become
effective unless it has been promulgated pursuant to the provisions of section 536.024, RSMo.
[411.115. 1. No grain shall be stored or accepted for storage in any licensed warehouse unless
first inspected, graded and weighed by an individual licensed under this section.
2. A warehouseman or any individual employed by a warehouseman may apply to the director,
on a form provided by the director, to be licensed as an inspector or a weigher of grain. It shall be
indicated on that form whether the applicant is to be authorized to sign warehouse receipts.
3. Upon receipt of a complete and sufficient application, including a statement of the applicant's
competency properly executed by the warehouseman, the director shall issue to the applicant a
license to inspect or a license to weigh grain, if he is satisfied that the applicant is competent to
inspect or weigh grain.
4. A license issued under this section shall be posted at the warehouse where the licensee is
employed. If a licensee is transferred to another licensed warehouse owned or operated by the
same warehouseman the license issued under this section may be transferred. No license issued
under this section shall be transferable in any other situation.
5. Nothing within this chapter shall be construed to mean that any person licensed under this
section may give official weights or official inspections or in any way perform the duties of an
official weigher or official inspector.
6. The fee for a license issued under this section shall be set by the director by regulation, but in
no event shall the fee be less than five dollars nor more than ten dollars for each license issued.]
[411.131. 1. The director shall appoint a qualified employee of the department to serve as
registrar of receipts at all places, if needed, where official inspections and weights are maintained. The registrar shall execute a corporate surety bond to the state of Missouri in the penal
sum of twenty thousand dollars, the sureties to be approved by the director, conditioned that he
well and faithfully discharge all his duties as registrar of receipts according to law, and truly
account for and turn over to his successor, all moneys, books, files, and papers that may come in
his hands or possession as registrar.
2. The director shall approve some qualified person other than an employee of the department to
serve as registrar of registered receipts at all places, if needed, where official inspection or
weights are not maintained. The registrar shall execute a corporate surety bond to the state of
Missouri in the penal sum of twenty thousand dollars, the sureties to be approved by the director,
conditioned that he well and faithfully discharge all his duties as registrar of receipts according to
law and truly account for, and turn over to his successors, all moneys, books, files and papers that
may come in his hands or possession as registrar.
3. Every licensed warehouseman desiring to issue registered warehouse receipts shall furnish,
upon a form that the director may require, to the state registrar of receipts, information regarding:
(1) Receipts issued;
(2) Receipts canceled;
(3) Shipments of grain received;
(4) Shipments of grain delivered; and
(5) Any other information as is necessary to enable the state registrar of receipts to keep a full
and complete record of all transactions by the warehouse.]
411.180. 1. The director or his authorized [agent] representative may examine, audit and
inspect every licensed grain warehouse, or persons whom the director has reasonable cause
to believe should be licensed under this chapter, the business thereof, and the mode of
conducting the same at such times as he may deem necessary; and the property, books, records,
accounts, papers, and the proceedings pertaining to the operations of these warehouses, so far as
they may relate to the operation or management of public storage, and to the ability of the
warehouseman to meet his grain and dollar obligations shall be subject to examination and
inspection by the director, or his authorized agent. Such books, accounts, records and papers
of every grain warehouseman shall at all times during normal business hours be subject to
inspection as prescribed by the director.
2. The director may perform such inspections as are deemed necessary for the orderly
administration of this chapter based upon reports and other information available to him.
[2.] 3. Every grain warehouseman and his employees, agents, officers, partners, directors and
shareholders shall cooperate and hold themselves available to assist in the examination, including
allowing full and reasonable use of sampling and grading equipment. Failure or refusal to
cooperate or assist is a violation of this chapter and a basis for the suspension of a public grain
warehouseman's license.
[3.] 4. No inspector or employee of the department shall disclose any information obtained by
him in the course of his employment relative to the affairs or transactions of any warehouseman,
other than as permitted by this chapter, without first having obtained the express permission in
writing of such warehouseman, or of the director; provided, that the director may, upon written
application of any person, disclose or direct any inspector or employee of the department to
disclose any information which, in the opinion of the director, the person applying for the same is
entitled to receive. If any such inspector or employee shall disclose any such information except
as permitted by this chapter, he is guilty of a misdemeanor. This section shall not prevent the
taking of sworn testimony at a public hearing with respect to violations of this chapter or
regulations promulgated hereunder.
[4.] 5. The director is hereby authorized to issue subpoena duces tecum to any financial
institution, or to any other type of business entity, to deliver any and all records of the licensee, or
any and all records kept pertaining to the licensee, or of any person who in the opinion of the
director may need to be licensed. Such financial institutions, or other business entities, are
hereby authorized and required to deliver any and all such records to the director notwithstanding
any law to the contrary. This section applies to persons or individual accounts or transactions as
well as to corporate records where the licensee, or person who in the opinion of the director
needs to be licensed, is conducting business in corporate form.
6. The director shall, upon the verified complaint in writing of any person setting forth
facts which, if proved, would be in violation of the provisions of chapter 411, RSMo, or
regulations promulgated hereunder or would constitute grounds for refusal, suspension or
revocation of a license under this chapter, investigate the actions of any person applying
for, holding or claiming to hold a license; provided that the director is not required to
investigate any complaint which does not appear to have a reasonable basis.
411.260. 1. Each person owning, operating, or desiring to own or operate a grain warehouse
who is required to be licensed, shall apply for a license for each such warehouse he owns or
operates. The application for a license shall be [typewritten and] subscribed and sworn to under
oath by the applicant or a duly authorized representative of the applicant. The application shall
be in a form prescribed by the director. All items on the application must be completed or
marked "not applicable" as appropriate.
2. All applications shall be accompanied by a true and accurate financial statement of the
applicant, prepared within six months of the date of the application, setting forth the assets,
liabilities and the net worth of the applicant. All applications shall also be accompanied by a true
and accurate statement of income and expenses for the applicant's most recently completed fiscal
year. The financial statements required by this chapter shall be prepared in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles; except that, the director may promulgate rules allowing
for the valuation of assets by competent appraisal.
3. The financial statements required by subsection 2 of this section shall be audited[,] or
reviewed [or compiled by a public accountant or] by a certified public accountant[, or compiled
and prepared by a person competent in the application of generally accepted accounting principles]. The financial statement may not be audited, reviewed[, compiled] or prepared by the
applicant, if an individual, or, if the applicant is a corporation or partnership, by any officer,
shareholder, partner, or employee of the applicant.
4. The director may require any additional information or verification with respect to the
financial resources of the applicant as he deems necessary for the effective administration of this
chapter. The director may promulgate rules setting forth minimum standards of acceptance for
the various types of financial statements filed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
The director may promulgate rules requiring a statement of retained earnings, a statement of
changes in financial position, and notes and disclosures to the financial statements for all
licensed warehousemen or all warehousemen required to be licensed. The additional information
or verification referred to herein may include, but is not limited to, requiring that the financial
statement information be reviewed or audited in accordance with standards established by the
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
5. All warehousemen shall provide the director with a copy of all financial statements and
updates to financial statements utilized to secure the bonds required by this chapter. Also, all
warehousemen maintaining a uniform grain storage agreement with the Commodity Credit
Corporation or a United States Warehouse Act license shall provide the director with a copy of
all financial statements and updates to financial statements utilized to secure and maintain such
agreement or license.
6. All financial statements submitted to the director for the purposes of this chapter shall be
accompanied by a certification by the applicant or the chief executive officer of the applicant,
subject to the penalty provision set forth in section 411.517 that to the best of his knowledge and
belief the financial statement accurately reflects the financial condition of the applicant for the
fiscal period covered in the statement.
7. Any person who knowingly prepares or assists in the preparation of an inaccurate or false
financial statement which is submitted to the director for the purposes of this chapter, or who
during the course of providing bookkeeping services or in [compiling,] reviewing[,] or auditing a
financial statement which is submitted to the director for the purposes of this chapter, becomes
aware of false information in the financial statement and does not disclose in notes accompanying the financial statements that such false information exists, or does not disassociate himself
from the financial statements prior to submission, is guilty of a class C felony. Additionally,
such persons are liable for any damages incurred by depositors of grain with a warehouseman
who is licensed or allowed to maintain his license based upon inaccuracies or falsifications
contained in the financial statement.
[411.261. Notwithstanding any provision of section 276.421, RSMo, or section 411.260, to the
contrary, effective July 1, 1996, in any application made pursuant to section 276.421, RSMo, or
section 411.260, the financial statement required by said sections shall meet the following
criteria:
(1) If the applicant is posting a bond as security as prescribed by law, the financial statement
shall be a review level financial statement by a certified public accountant; and
(2) If the applicant is posting a letter of credit or a certificate of deposit as security as prescribed
by law, the financial statement shall be an audit level financial statement prepared by a certified
public accountant.]
411.271. 1. The department shall make at least one complete examination of each state licensed
public warehouse each year. The examination shall be at the expense of the warehouseman who
shall be charged thereby a fee based on rates established by the director. The minimum examination fee shall be fifty dollars. The examination shall include a weigh-up of all grain or a
measure-up of all grain, as may be elected by the warehouseman.
2. Any additional examinations deemed necessary by the department to be made during any year
shall be at the expense of the department; except that, if upon any examination a discrepancy is
found to exist, the director may collect a fee for that examination and for any subsequent
examinations deemed necessary to insure that the discrepancy is corrected. The fee for each such
examination shall be computed in accordance with the provisions of subsection 3 of this section.
3. Any warehouseman may request additional examinations at the expense of the warehouseman. The director may collect a fee for each special or requested [inspection] examination of a
public grain warehouse or for extra work beyond regular [inspection] examination procedures in
connection with regularly scheduled [inspections] examinations, computed as follows:
(1) Necessary personal expenses in conformance with the rules and regulations promulgated by
the commissioner of administration pursuant to section 33.090, RSMo;
(2) A mileage allowance equal to the allowance established by the commissioner of administration pursuant to section 33.095, RSMo;
(3) [Ten] Twenty dollars for each man-hour required to complete the inspection.
4. Upon completion of any examination which reveals a failure to comply with this chapter or
regulations promulgated hereunder, the director or any warehouse auditor, within a reasonable
time, shall present a written discrepancy report to the warehouseman, his employee or agent. The
report shall specify the areas of noncompliance and shall give a specific period of time within
which corrective action is to be taken. Such period of time shall be both reasonable and practicable under the circumstance. A report of that corrective action shall be sent to the director by the
warehouseman. If, after further examination, the discrepancy still exists, the director may
modify, suspend, or revoke the warehouseman's license, or the director may take whatever other
action he deems necessary, consistent with the provisions of this chapter, until the warehouseman
has corrected the discrepancy.
411.278. 1. The amount of the bond required by section 411.275 shall be based upon the
licensed capacity of the warehouse, but in no event shall such bond be less than twenty
thousand dollars, and shall be based upon the following table of rates:
If the licensed capacity of the The required
warehouse is: bond is the greater of
$20,000 or:
Not over 200,000 bushels .......... $10,000 plus $0.25
per bushel of licensed
capacity
Over 200,000 but not over 1,000,000 $60,000 plus $0.20 per
bushel of excess over
200,000 bushels
of licensed capacity
Over 1,000,000 but not over 2,000,000 $220,000 plus $0.15
per bushel of excess
over 1,000,000 bushels
of licensed capacity
Over 2,000,000 but not over 3,000,000 $370,000 plus $0.10
per bushel of excess
over 2,000,000 bushels
of licensed capacity
Over 3,000,000 ...................... $470,000 plus $0.05
per bushel of excess
over 3,000,000 bushels
of licensed capacity
2. Notwithstanding subsection 1 of this section, no bond required under section 411.275 shall
exceed one million dollars; except, in the case of a deficiency in the net worth as set forth in
section 411.280, the director may require additional bond as he shall deem necessary to provide
security.
411.280. Every warehouseman licensed under the provisions of this chapter shall have and
maintain a net worth equal to [at least] the greater of ten thousand dollars or the amount
which results from multiplying the storage capacity of the warehouse by fifteen cents per
bushel [of the warehouse's storage capacity]. Capital stock, for the purpose of determining the
net worth, shall not be considered a liability. Any deficiency in required net worth above the ten
thousand dollar minimum requirement may be met by supplying additional bond in an amount
equal to one thousand dollars for each one thousand dollars or fraction thereof of deficiency.
411.283. 1. Upon receiving an original application, the director may make an examination of
the warehouse covered by the application. The director shall issue a license to operate a public
grain warehouse if he determines that:
(1) The application is sufficient;
(2) The warehouse facility is suitable for the proper storage of grain. The director shall
determine the suitability of the warehouse for the storage of grain based upon the type, location,
construction, layout and facilities of each warehouse. The warehouse facility shall have at
least ten thousand bushel storage capacity. An adequate scale for weighing grain must be
available for the warehouseman's use on-site or within a reasonable distance of the
warehouse facility, not to exceed five miles. The director's findings shall include, but not be
limited to, the following:
(a) The storage facilities are weathertight so as to protect the grain from the elements at all
times;
(b) The facilities and the practices with respect to those facilities are such as to maintain and
preserve the quantity and quality of the grain;
(c) Safe and adequate means of ingress and egress to the various storage units of the warehouse
are provided and maintained by the warehouseman;
(3) The applicant is capable of performing the service proposed;
(4) The applicant is willing and able to comply with the provisions of this chapter and regulations promulgated hereunder;
(5) The applicant, or, if the applicant is a corporation or partnership, any officer, majority
shareholder, board member or partner has not been involved in illegal or improper manipulation
of grain inventories which involved or resulted in losses to grain depositors within the seven-year
period of time immediately preceding the date the director received the application;
(6) The applicant has sufficient financial resources to adequately protect depositors; except that,
if the director finds that the applicant, management personnel, a principal officer or partner has a
bad business reputation, the director may deny the application. If the director is not satisfied with
the applicant's qualifications as stated in this section, the application may be denied. If the
application is denied, notice shall be mailed to the applicant setting forth the reasons for the
denial of the license. Within fifteen days of receipt of a notice of denial for license, the applicant
may file a written application with the director for a hearing on the denial. The hearing shall be
carried out in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and regulations promulgated
hereunder.
2. Every license shall be dated and shall expire on the last day of the fifth month after the close
of the warehouse's fiscal year, except that the initial licensing period after April 22, 1986, shall
be for at least six months but not longer than eighteen, and shall designate the name of the
licensee and the location of the warehouse. No fees shall be prorated.
3. Every license shall be, at all times during the operation of the licensed warehouse, posted in a
conspicuous place in the office room of the warehouse. Upon proof, satisfactory to the director,
that a public grain warehouse license issued under this chapter has been destroyed or lost, the
director may issue to the warehouse a duplicate license, with "DUPLICATE" clearly printed on
its face. The fee for such duplicate license is ten dollars.
4. If the holder of any public warehouseman's license is convicted of any violation of this
chapter, or if the director determines that any holder has violated any of the provisions of this
chapter, or any of the rules and regulations adopted by the director under the provisions of this
chapter, the director may at his discretion modify, suspend, cancel, revoke or refuse to renew the
license of the holder.
5. Whenever the director shall modify, suspend, cancel, revoke or refuse to issue any license he
shall prepare an order so providing which shall be signed by the director or some person
designated by him, and the order shall state the reason or reasons for the modification, suspension, cancellation, revocation or refusal to issue the license. The order shall be sent by certified
mail to the licensee or applicant at the address of the warehouse licensed or applying for a
license. Within thirty days after the mailing of the order, the licensee, if aggrieved by the order of
the director, may appeal as provided in chapter 536, RSMo. At the time of the filing of the
appeal, the party appealing shall give a bond for costs conditioned on his prosecuting the appeal
without delay and paying all costs assessed against him. In addition, the licensee shall post a
bond which shall remain in effect pending final disposition of all appeals, including review by
the Missouri court of appeals or Missouri supreme court, or federal review, in an amount
sufficient to cover all grain storage and grain-related obligations of the licensee as identified by
the director. The posting of such bond is jurisdictional to the circuit court's authority to entertain
the appeal.
6. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, if, upon examination, it is determined
that a licensed warehouseman has violated or is violating any of the provisions of this chapter,
and the director has reasonable cause to believe that the nature of the violation is such that there
exists an immediate danger of substantial loss, the director may authorize and cause any
employee charged with the enforcement of this chapter to remove the warehouseman's license to
operate a public grain warehouse from the premises of the warehouse. Any license so removed
shall be returned to the director. The removal of the license from the premises shall constitute a
temporary suspension of the license. The director shall grant a hearing, to be held in accordance
with the provisions of this chapter and regulations promulgated hereunder, as soon thereafter as
is possible, but not later than ten days after the temporary suspension imposed by removal of the
warehouseman's license.
411.287. 1. If a license is suspended, revoked or a shortage is known to exist and the director
determines that there is danger of loss to depositors, the director or his authorized agents may
enter the premises of the warehouseman, monitor the activities of the warehouseman and take
any actions authorized by this chapter which are necessary to protect the interests of depositors of
grain. Additionally, when a shortage exists, the director or his designated representative may
order, verbally or in writing, the warehouseman to cease shipping any grain until such shortage is
corrected. Should the warehouseman continue to ship grain after being advised of such order to
cease shipping, such action of the warehouseman shall constitute a class C felony. The director
and his designated representative shall notify local law enforcement officials and request the
immediate arrest of the warehouseman.
2. Whenever the director or his authorized agents monitor the operation of any warehouse, the
warehouseman, upon a finding by a court of competent jurisdiction that the director had
reasonable grounds to believe that this action was necessary to protect the depositors, may be
assessed and shall pay a fee of [fifty] one hundred dollars per person for each day or part
thereof that the director or his authorized agents monitored the operations.
411.321. 1. It shall be the duty of every terminal warehouseman to receive for storage any grain,
dry and suitable for warehousing, that may be tendered to him in the usual manner in which
terminal warehouses are accustomed to receive the same, in the ordinary and usual course of
business, to the capacity of his warehouse available for public storage. The grain shall be
officially inspected, officially weighed, and officially graded, upon receiving grain into the
warehouse, except that the owner or warehouseman may direct that the grain not be officially
inspected, officially weighed, or officially graded as provided in section 411.030, but shall be
inspected, weighed, and graded by [a state licensed employee of] an individual designated by
the warehouseman competent and qualified in performing these services.
2. All grain delivered from the warehouse shall be officially inspected, officially weighed, and
officially graded on its delivery by a duly authorized inspector and weighmaster of the department, except that the owner or warehouseman may direct that the grain not be officially
inspected, officially weighed, or officially graded as provided in section 411.030, but shall be
inspected and weighed by [a state licensed employee of] an individual designated by the
warehouseman competent and qualified in performing these services.
411.323. 1. Every public warehouseman, other than a terminal warehouseman, shall receive for
storage or shipment, so far as the available capacity for public storage of the warehouse shall
permit, all grain in a dry and suitable condition for storage tendered him in the usual course of
business, the grain to be inspected, weighed, and graded by [a state licensed employee of] an
individual designated by the warehouseman competent and qualified in performing these
services except that:
(1) The owner and the warehouseman may agree upon a sample taken from the lot of grain to be
offered for storage as being a true and representative sample. This sample shall be sent to an
official licensed inspector of the Missouri state grain warehouse division and the official licensed
inspector who receives the sample shall grade it according to the official U.S.D.A. grain
standards and issue a certificate of grade which shall state the name of the owner, the warehouse
at which it is stored and the official grade of the grain and the official grade shall be stated on the
warehouse receipt. The sample submitted to the licensed inspector shall be held by him for a
period of at least ten days from its receipt and in case that either party of the transaction is
dissatisfied with the grade assigned, he may have the right to reinspection and appeal upon
request. The fees for the inspection of the sample shall be paid by the warehouseman and added
to the storage charges of the grain;
(2) The owner and the warehouseman may agree to the grade of the grain to be offered for
storage and a warehouse receipt issued on the agreed grade;
(3) The owner or warehouseman may have an official weight, official inspection, and an official
grade on the grain to be offered for storage if requested of the department, the expense thereof
paid by the person requesting the service.
2. Any warehouseman desiring to issue warehouse receipts for his own grain in store may do so
by complying with the regulations governing the methods as prescribed by the director.
411.325. 1. At the time of delivery of grain to any public warehouse the scale ticket shall be
marked to indicate whether the grain is delivered for storage, for sale or for some other purpose.
2. All grain received at a licensed public warehouse shall be deemed to be storage grain within
the meaning of this chapter, unless:
(1) Payment for the grain is made upon delivery to the warehouseman; or
(2) At the time of delivery of the grain to the warehouseman, the purchase price is established,
documented as prescribed by the director, and payment made within thirty days or the account is
entered, as prescribed by the director, onto a formal settlement sheet within the same thirty-day
period. Further, when an account is so entered onto a formal settlement sheet payment shall be
made within one hundred eighty days of delivery. If payment is not so made within one hundred
eighty days of delivery, a formal written contract as provided for in subsection 4 of this section
shall be executed.
3. All grain received at any warehouse not licensed under this chapter shall be deemed to be
grain held for storage within the meaning of this chapter, unless:
(1) The sale price for the grain has been established; and
(2) Payment made by the warehouseman and received by the owner of the grain within [ten]
thirty days from the delivery of the grain to the warehouse; or
(3) A formal written contract as provided for in subsection 4 of this section is executed.
4. A warehouseman and a seller of grain may agree that payment or pricing of the seller's grain
be deferred to a future date. The agreement shall be in writing, dated and shall contain a
statement informing the seller that the seller is relinquishing title and all rights of ownership in
the grain[, that the warehouseman is not required to carry a warehouse bond on the grain for the
benefit of the seller and that the payment for the grain becomes a common claim against the
warehouseman]. The director may require any additional information from a warehouseman that
he deems necessary to protect the interests of the seller of grain in these transactions. Failure to
provide such additional information, upon request, shall be deemed a violation of this chapter.
Grain received under a deferred payment or deferred pricing agreement under the provisions of
this section shall not be deemed to be stored grain. For the purposes of this section, minimum
price, deferred price and deferred payment contracts are not deemed valid unless they contain all
the [required] statements required by section 276.461, RSMo, and are signed by both the buyer
and seller or their authorized representatives. Grain represented by an invalid [deferred payment
or] deferred pricing contract shall be deemed storage grain for the purposes of this chapter.
Grain represented by an invalid deferred payment contract shall be deemed storage grain
for the purposes of this chapter if payment has not been made within one hundred eighty
days of delivery as required in subsection 2 of this section. Only class I grain dealers may
enter into deferred price, minimum price or deferred payment agreements.
5. The following transactions shall not be covered by the warehouseman's bond:
(1) Any sale of grain evidenced by a check written by the warehouseman, received and accepted
by the seller. Any check returned for any reason shall be evidence of a sales transaction; or
(2) Any sale of grain evidenced by a promissory note accepted by the seller. To be considered
a promissory note, the note must contain the signature of both seller and buyer, date the
note was executed, dollar amount of the note, payment terms, and interest rate; or
(3) Any sale of grain delivered to the warehouse pursuant to and evidenced by a [delivery] grain
purchase contract[.] and treated as sold grain pursuant to the provisions of subsection 2 or
4 of this section.
6. The warehouseman's bond shall cover all grain deemed storage pursuant to the
provisions of this section.
[6.] 7. Grain originally received at a warehouse as storage grain and subsequently sold by the
depositor to the warehouseman shall be considered received at the warehouse at the time of sale
and shall be treated as grain sold or stored, as applicable, pursuant to the provisions of subsection
2 of this section as if at the time of physical delivery, the grain had been priced. The thirty-day,
one hundred eighty-day and written contract provisions of subsection 2 of this section apply to
these transactions commencing at the time of sale.
411.391. Any public warehouseman operating a warehouse in the state may make a valid sale or
a pledge of any warehouse receipts issued for grain of which the warehouseman is the owner,
either solely or jointly or in common with others, and the recital of ownership in the receipt shall
constitute notice of the right to sell or pledge the same and of the title or specific lien of the
transferee or pledgee upon the warehouseman's grain represented by the receipts[, provided that
the receipts are registered according to the provisions of this chapter].
411.405. 1. At his option a public warehouseman may ship carlots of grain, when requested by
the owner to do so, to a specified terminal warehouse within the state without official inspection
or the issuing of trust receipts, providing that the identical lot of grain is tendered for shipment.
The transportation of the grain shall be at the owner's risk. When a warehouse receipt has been
issued by the terminal warehouseman receiving the grain, and returned to the public warehouseman, he shall deliver the warehouse receipt to the owner upon payment of freight and all legal
charges and upon surrender by the owner of the trust receipt or receipts, if any, issued by the
public warehouseman for the grain.
2. A licensed warehouseman may ship grain to another state or federally licensed warehouse for storage to cover nonreceipted storage obligations at his licensed facility. The
original warehouseman must have the written approval of the owner of the grain or notify
the owner in writing prior to transferring the commodity or the obligation. Prior written
notification may include printed statements on scale tickets or statements made on the
schedule of charges required under section 411.268. The receiving warehouse must be a
state licensed facility within the state of Missouri, a warehouse licensed under the United
States Warehouse Act, or a facility located outside the state of Missouri licensed by the
state where the facility is located if, based upon a determination by the director, that state's
requirements are sufficient to protect the integrity of the stored grain. The transportation
of the grain shall be at the original warehouseman's risk.
[411.471. 1. It shall be the duty of every public warehouseman issuing registered negotiable
receipts upon receipt of any grain, to issue a receipt therefor, in compliance with this chapter, and
to, by the close of the thirtieth business day, or the time that the director shall designate, file with
the registrar of warehouse receipts designated by the director a report as hereinafter provided,
showing the amount of grain received and the number of the receipts therefor issued, accompanied by the warehouse receipts for registration.
2. A public warehouseman may register every negotiable receipt issued by him for grain of
which the warehouseman is the owner, either solely, jointly or in common with others; and it is
unlawful for any public warehouseman to limit or modify his responsibility imposed by law by
any words inserted in any receipt or by any contract relative thereto. Upon receipt of the report,
as hereinafter provided, and warehouse receipts, it shall be the duty of the registrar of warehouse
receipts to register the receipt in a book to be kept for that purpose and to stamp on each of these
receipts, with the official grain inspection division registration stamp, the word "registered", with
the date of registration and affix his signature thereto.
3. At the option of the warehouseman, a public warehouseman may issue unregistered negotiable
receipts or unregistered nonnegotiable receipts, for grain of which the warehouseman is the
owner or not the owner, either solely, jointly or in common with others.]
411.517. 1. The warehouseman shall maintain in a place of safety at each licensed warehouse
facility current and complete records with respect to all grain delivered to, withdrawn from and
received, stored or processed at that warehouse. The director may allow the warehouseman to
maintain said records at the warehouseman's headquarters office on a case-by-case basis
taking into consideration the location from which grain payments are made. Such records
shall include but not be limited to the following:
(1) A perpetual inventory showing the total quantity of each kind and class of grain received and
loaded out, the quantity of each kind and class of grain remaining in the warehouse and the total
storage obligations for each kind and class of grain. This record shall be kept current as of the
close of each business day; except that, if no transaction takes place during a business day, a
record showing the actual status as to quantity and storage obligations at the close of the next
preceding business day during which recordable transactions occurred shall be deemed to be
current;
(2) A register which records all grain transactions not evidenced by the warehouseman's
own scale ticket, i.e., direct farm to market shipments. This register shall be updated daily
showing, at a minimum, customer name, type of grain, quantity of grain, date of shipment,
name of terminal or other business accepting the physical commodity, destination scale
ticket number and whether the grain was delivered for storage, sale or other specified
purpose.
[(2)] (3) A current copy of the periodic insurance report submitted to the insurer.
2. In addition to the records required by section 411.383 and subsection 1 of this section, the
warehouseman shall maintain such adequate financial records as will clearly reflect his current
financial position and will clearly support any financial information required to be submitted to
the director from time to time.
3. Each grain warehouseman may also be required to keep such records or make such
reports as deemed necessary by the director to protect the depositor or seller of grain as set
forth in this chapter and the regulations promulgated hereunder.
[3.] 4. All books, records and accounts of warehousemen shall be kept and held available for
examination for a period of not less than three years after the close of the period for which such
book or record was required; except that, canceled or voided warehouse receipts and the
warehouse receipt register required by section 411.383 shall be kept and held available for
examination for a period of not less than six years from the date of cancellation or voiding of
receipts or, in the case of the register, from the last date upon which a receipt referred to therein
shall have been canceled or voided.
[4.] 5. A warehouseman licensed or required to be licensed under this chapter shall keep
available for examination all books, records and accounts required by this chapter and any other
books, records and accounts relevant to his operating a public grain warehouse. An examination
may be performed by the director or a warehouse auditor, and may take place at any time during
the normal business hours of the warehouseman or, if prior notice of the examination is given to
the warehouseman, at such time as is prescribed in that notice.
[5.] 6. Any warehouseman licensed or required to be licensed under this chapter, or any officer,
agent, employee, servant or associate of such warehouseman, who files with the director false
records, scale tickets, financial statements, accounts, or withholds records, scale tickets, financial
statements or accounts from the director, or who alters records, scale tickets, financial statements
or accounts in order to conceal outstanding storage obligations or to conceal actual amounts of
grain received for storage or for purchase, whether or not paid for, or to conceal warehouse
obligations or for the purpose of misleading in any way department warehouse auditors or
officials, is guilty of a class C felony.
411.518. 1. A scale ticket, or other document approved by the director, shall be made out
and filed for each movement of grain in or out of any grain warehouse licensed or required to be
licensed under the provisions of this chapter. All scale tickets shall be printed with the
business name and location and consecutively numbered. They must be issued in consecutive order. A copy of all scale tickets shall be kept on file in numerical order in the
warehouseman's office. All other source documents for movement of grain in or out of the
facility shall be in a form approved by the director and kept and maintained in a manner
approved by the director. Any scale ticket used in pricing grain for the purpose of sale to the
warehouseman shall have the price shown on all copies of the ticket.
2. A scale ticket issued in accordance with the provisions of this chapter or regulations promulgated hereunder shall be considered a form of nonnegotiable receipt. This form of nonnegotiable
receipt shall be deemed a document of title. The warehouseman's failure to complete all entries
on a scale ticket as required by this chapter and the rules promulgated pursuant to this chapter
shall constitute a violation on the part of the warehouseman, but shall not preclude or restrict a
depositor's right to recover stored grain under the provisions of this chapter. The scale ticket
shall constitute prima facie evidence of the holder's claim to the grain regardless of the degree of
compliance with this chapter with respect to completion of the entries required by this chapter.
3. All scale tickets, or other approved documents, issued shall contain the following
information:
(1) Customer name;
(2) Date issued;
(3) Type of grain;
(4) Quantity of grain;
(5) Notation to show whether the grain movement was IN or OUT;
(6) If movement was IN, whether the grain received was for storage, purchased by the
warehouseman, or other specified purpose; and
(7) If received for purchase by the warehouseman, the price shall be stated on all copies.
[3. In general, grain scale tickets shall not be used for the purpose of custom weighing;] 4. As
used in this section, "custom weighing" shall mean the weighing of products or articles for the
sole purpose of ascertaining weight and the weighing of these products and articles is not for the
purpose of a sale or purchase by the warehouseman in the usual course of his business transactions. Any scale ticket used for the purpose of custom weighing must be clearly and conspicuously designated as a custom weight ticket. The director may promulgate regulations pertaining
to the form and usage of custom weighing tickets.
411.519. 1. Whenever it appears to the satisfaction of the director that a warehouseman does not
have in his inventory sufficient grain to cover the outstanding receipts and scale tickets issued or
assumed by him, or when the warehouseman refuses to submit his records or property to lawful
examination, the director may give notice to the warehouseman to comply with any of the
following requirements:
(1) Immediately cease all grain-related operations and transactions such as, but not limited to,
shipping, receiving, handling, processing or selling of grain on his own account or the account of
others;
(2) Cover the shortage by supplying the grain or evidence of ownership of the grain;
(3) [Give additional bond as required by the director;
(4)] Submit to such examination as the director may deem necessary;
[(5)] (4) Immediately purchase and make actual payment for a sufficient quantity and quality of
grain to fully cover the shortage. If the warehouseman fails to comply with the requirements
contained in the notice within the time period which the director may allow, the director may
petition the circuit court of the county where the warehouse is located[, as shown on the license
application,] for an ex parte order authorizing the director or his authorized agent to seize and
take possession, as trustee, of any grain located in the warehouse of such warehouseman, and of
all pertinent records and property, as provided in subsection [2] 4 of this section.
2. If at any time the director has evidence that a grain warehouseman is insolvent or is
unable to satisfy the claims of all depositors as they become due, or the warehouseman does
not have in his inventory sufficient grain to cover the outstanding receipts and scale tickets
issued or assumed by him, the director may modify, suspend or revoke the warehouseman's
license or petition the circuit court in the county where the warehouse is located for an ex
parte order authorizing the director or his authorized agent to seize and take title possession, as trustee, of any grain and grain-related assets in the warehouse or under the
warehouseman's control, and of all pertinent records and property as provided for in
subsection 4 of this section.
3. Whenever the director shall modify, suspend or revoke any license, he shall prepare an
order so providing which shall be signed by the director or some person designated by him,
and the order shall state the reason or reasons for the modification, suspension or revocation of the license. The order shall be sent by certified mail to the licensee or applicant at
the address of the grain warehouseman licensed or applying for a license. Within thirty
days after the mailing of the order, the licensee, if aggrieved by the order of the director,
may appeal as provided in chapter 536, RSMo. At the time of the filing of the appeal, the
party appealing shall give a bond for costs conditioned on his prosecuting the appeal
without delay and paying all costs assessed against him. In addition, the licensee shall post
a bond which shall remain in effect pending final disposition of all appeals, including
review by the Missouri court of appeals or Missouri supreme court, or federal review, in an
amount sufficient to cover all grain storage, and other grain-related obligations of the
licensee as identified by the director. The posting of such bond is jurisdictional to the
circuit court's authority to entertain the appeal.
[2.] 4. Upon receipt of the director's verified petition setting forth the circumstances of the
warehouseman's failure to comply with this chapter and further stating reasons why immediate
possession by the director or his authorized agent is necessary for the protection of depositors,
warehouse receipt holders or sureties, the court is authorized to issue an ex parte order and shall
issue such an order authorizing the director or his authorized agent to take immediate possession
for the purposes stated in this section. A copy of the petition and order shall be sent to the
warehouseman. If appropriate, the court may order the director's taking possession of only
grain-related assets and not the entire business of the warehouseman. Such order may include,
but is not limited to, the following:
(1) The director locking down and securing, by padlocks or other appropriate means, the grain
storage bins, scales, offices, equipment and rolling stock of the warehouseman;
(2) Removing and excluding the warehouseman, or any and all of the warehouseman's employees, from the facility;
(3) Prohibiting the warehouseman from engaging in any grain-related business transactions
whatever during the director's possession of the grain-related assets of the warehouseman's
business;
(4) Authorizing all financial institutions to place all business accounts of the warehouseman
under the director's authority and to freeze all transactions involving such accounts except to
honor outstanding checks written previous to the issuance of the court's order. If it appears that
the warehouseman has conducted, in part, his grain storage business through the use of personal
accounts as opposed to business accounts, or intermingled two or more such accounts, the court
may authorize the applicable financial institutions to place such personal accounts, as well as the
business accounts, under the authority of the director in order to allow the director to accurately
determine the extent of all grain-related obligations incurred by the warehouseman, the correct
status of same and the warehouseman's resources to pay his grain-related obligations;
(5) Authorizing the director to redeliver or sell depositor or company-owned grain, as appropriate in the circumstances and setting forth the conditions for doing such;
(6) Authorizing the director to deposit all grain-related assets and proceeds therefrom in an
interest-bearing escrow account to be disbursed only upon orders of the court;
(7) Directing the warehouseman to furnish the director with all grain-related business documents
which come into his possession subsequent to the director's possession of the grain-related assets,
as well as any other grain-related documents which the warehouseman may have knowledge of
and which are not at the warehouse facility.
[3.] 5. At any time within ten days after the director or his authorized agent takes possession, the
warehouseman may file with the court a response to the petition of the director stating reasons
why the director or his authorized agent should not be allowed to retain possession. The court
shall set the matter for hearing on a date not more than fifteen days from the date of the filing of
the warehouseman's response. The order placing the director or his authorized agent in possession shall not be stayed nor set aside until such time as the court, after hearing, determines that
possession should be restored to the warehouseman.
[4.] 6. Upon taking possession, the director shall give written notice of his action to the surety on
the bond of the warehouseman and may notify the holders of record, as shown by the warehouseman's records, of all receipts and tickets issued for grain to present their receipts or tickets for
examination or to account for the same. The director may thereupon cause an audit and other
investigation to be made of the affairs of the warehouse to determine the amount of the shortage
and compute the shortage as to each depositor as shown by the warehouseman's records, if
practicable. The director shall notify the warehouseman and the surety on his bond of the
approximate amount of the shortage and may notify each depositor thereby affected by sending
notice to the depositor's last known address as shown by the records of the warehouseman.
[5.] 7. The director or his authorized agent shall retain possession obtained under this section
until such time as the warehouseman or the surety on the bond shall have satisfied the claims of
all depositors, or until such time as the director or his authorized agent is ordered by the court to
surrender possession. At no time while the director or his authorized agent is in possession of a
warehouse, as authorized by this section, shall the director or his authorized agent be required to
operate the warehouse; nor will the director or his authorized agent be liable for any claims
which have arisen or could arise from the nonoperation of the warehouse.
[6.] 8. If at any time, the director, whether or not he or his authorized agent has possession as
authorized by this section, has evidence that a warehouseman is insolvent or is unable to satisfy
the claims of all depositors, the director may petition the circuit court for the appointment of a
receiver to operate or liquidate the business of the warehouseman in accordance with law.
[7.] 9. All necessary expenses incurred by the director, his authorized agents or any receiver
appointed under this section, in carrying out the provisions of this section may be recovered from
the warehouseman in a separate civil action brought by the director in the circuit court or as part
of the seizure or receivership action filed under this section. If the director or any of his
authorized agents seize and take possession of the grain, records or property at the warehouse
facility, the warehouseman shall be assessed and shall pay as part of the necessary expenses
incurred a fee of fifty dollars per person for each day or part thereof that each such person
performs such activities. The cost of liability insurance necessary to protect the director, the
receiver and others engaged in carrying out the provisions of this section may be recovered as
part of the necessary expenses.
411.800. 1. As used in this section, "failure" means any of the following involving a
licensed or unlicensed grain warehouseman:
(1) An inability to financially satisfy claimants;
(2) A public declaration of insolvency;
(3) A revocation of license with outstanding grain storage obligations;
(4) Refusal to redeliver stored grain where a good faith dispute does not exist;
(5) Neglect to apply for license renewal without first settling all outstanding grain storage
obligations;
(6) Denial of license renewal application; or
(7) Voluntarily surrendering a warehouse license without first settling all outstanding
grain storage obligations.
2. As used in this section, "grain or grain-related assets" involving a failed warehouseman
means any of the following:
(1) All grain owned or stored, including grain in transit shipped by the failed warehouseman, but not yet paid for;
(2) Grain held on storage in the name of or for the account of the warehouseman at any
other warehouse;
(3) Proceeds from the sale of grain due or to become due;
(4) The equity less any secured financing directly associated therewith in assets in hedging
or speculative margin accounts held by commodity exchanges or agents representing the
exchanges, and any moneys due or to become due less any secured financing directly
associated therewith from any transactions on the exchanges;
(5) Any other unencumbered funds, property, or equity in funds or property, wherever
located, that can be directly traced to the sale of grain by the failed warehouseman,
provided both that the funds, property, or equity in funds or property shall not be
considered to be encumbered unless the encumbrance results from good and valuable
considerations advanced by any secured party on a good faith basis and that the encumbrance is not the result of the taking of funds, property, or equity in funds or property as
additional collateral for an antecedent debt;
3. A lien shall exist on all grain and grain-related assets of a failed warehouseman in favor
of any of the following:
(1) Depositors, including lenders, who possess negotiable warehouse receipts covering
grain owned by the warehouseman; and
(2) Depositors who possess written evidence of ownership disclosing a storage obligation of
the warehouseman.
4. The lien which shall secure all claims described in subsection 3 of this section shall arise
at the time of commencement of the storage obligation, or when funds are advanced by the
lender, and shall terminate when the liability of the warehouseman to the claimant is
discharged, provided that the priority of each lien among the respective claimants shall not
relate to the date the claim arises. The lien claims of all claimants shall be considered to be
assigned by operation of this section to the department of agriculture, and in the event of a
failure and subsequent liquidation, the lien shall transfer over to assets or proceeds of
assets either received or liquidated by the department of agriculture.
5. In the event of a failure, the director shall enforce the lien claims and allocate the
proceeds as follows against all grain and grain-related assets for the benefit of the following:
(1) Depositors, including lenders, who possess negotiable warehouse receipts covering
grain owned by the warehouseman;
(2) Depositors who possess written evidence of ownership disclosing a storage obligation of
the warehouseman.
6. In the event that any adversary proceeding is commenced to recover grain or grain-related assets upon which the lien imposed in this section is imposed and the department
declines to enter the proceeding, the director, upon application to him by any claimant,
shall assign to the claimant the applicable lien to permit the claimant to pursue his lien in
the adversary proceeding to the extent the action will not delay the resolution of the
proceeding, the prompt liquidation of the assets, or the ultimate distribution of the assets to
all claimants.
Section D. Because immediate action is necessary in order for permits to be issued for the
forthcoming year and in order to ensure an orderly transition, section C of this act is deemed
necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health, welfare, peace and safety, and is
hereby declared to be an emergency act within the meaning of the constitution, and this act shall
be in full force and effect upon its passage and approval.