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Protecting water and property rights top the list of priorities for Missouri producers

The president of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association says water rights are one of the organization’s top priorities in 2025.

Southeast Missouri producer Jeff Reed says producers need to be protected. “We’re a riparian state,” he says.  “People were wanting to pump water out of the state of Missouri, so we want to make sure we’re at the forefront of that and get our policy set up and as a priority, get some legislation passed that protects Missouri and our water and we’re good stewards of that.”

He tells Brownfield historically, water rights haven’t been an issue. “Normally, we’re talking about floods,” he says.  “But now it’s irrigation and those types of things. We want to make sure we’re doing it appropriately, and that we protect producers’ right to use those waters and that the state doesn’t come and say, well, we own the water. We want to make sure that landowners still own the water if it touches you.”

He says protecting private property rights are another issue members will prioritize this year.  “Making sure those are taken care of and we’re not misusing any kind of land grab or anything like that by big corporations,” he says.

Reed says the organization’s policies are shaped through the grassroots process.  “All those policies started at a local affiliate or local producer that had an issue, and they bring it forward maybe to their affiliate, they bring it to the state,” he says. 

Reed says some water rights bills have already been introduced into the state legislature, but it is still early in the process.

AUDIO: Jeff Reed, Missouri Cattlemen’s Association president