HCS HB 1884 -- AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS

SPONSOR:  Quinn, 7

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on
Agriculture Policy by a vote of 9 to 0.

This substitute changes the laws regarding agricultural programs.

NATIONAL ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM

The substitute allows the Department of Agriculture to support a
voluntary animal identification program.  The department is
prohibited from mandating National Animal Identification System
(NAIS) premises registration or participation in the NAIS
administered by the United States Department of Agriculture
without specific authorization from the General Assembly except
for disease control programs.

Any person who participates in the NAIS may withdraw from the
system at any time, and all personal information related to a
participant will be deleted from the system unless the
participant is part of an ongoing disease investigation or
disease monitoring or control program.

If these provisions interfere with the marketing of Missouri
livestock, the Governor, by executive order, can waive the
requirements until the General Assembly takes action to reinstate
or modify the provisions during the next regular session of the
General Assembly or any special session called by the Governor.

LARGE ANIMAL VETERINARY STUDENT LOAN ASSISTANCE

The substitute changes the laws regarding the Large Animal
Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program and the Large Animal
Veterinary Student Loan Program within the Department of
Agriculture.  The substitute:

(1)  Adds lawful permanent residency in the United States to the
criteria for a student to be eligible to participate in the Large
Animal Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program;

(2)  Specifies that up to six qualifying veterinarian students
can be awarded a maximum of $20,000 per academic year up to a
cumulative total of $80,000 with priority given to eligible
students who have established financial need;

(3)  Specifies that the maximum amount the department can forgive
for each year of qualifying service is $20,000;

(4)  Requires a loan recipient who fails to meet the qualified
service requirement to begin repayment of the loan within six
months of the first day on which he or she did not meet the
service requirement; and

(5)  Authorizes the department to grant a loan deferment to a
student who is on active duty in any branch of the armed forces
of the United States.

The Large Animal Veterinary Student Loan Program will expire
June 30, 2013.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Cost on General Revenue Fund of $359,800
in FY 2009, $444,714 in FY 2010, and $458,055 in FY 2011.  No
impact on Other State Funds in FY 2009, FY 2010, and FY 2011.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the National Animal
Identification System should remain voluntary; the associated
costs of the program are disproportionately higher for small
producers; and price premiums earned for voluntary participation
in certain programs may disappear.

Testifying for the bill was Representative Dethrow.

OPPONENTS:  Those who oppose the bill say that the National
Animal Identification System is necessary to prevent large area
quarantines in the event of an animal disease outbreak.  Other
states and most countries require source verification as a
condition of marketing livestock.

Testifying against the bill was Missouri Farm Bureau.

OTHERS:  Others testifying on the bill say that 65% of animal
diseases can be transmitted to humans, and various aspects of the
National Animal Identification System were explained.

Testifying on the bill was Department of Agriculture.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated October 15, 2008 at 3:11 pm