State Legislature
Missouri ag director measures raise concerns
Missouri’s Agriculture director position is appointed by the governor but proposals in the Missouri House would change that to an elected position. It calls for a constitutional amendment to make that change.
In a hearing of the bill this week, sponsor Jay Houghton said he’s heard concerns about the Humane Society of the United States getting involved in such a race, “My answer to that is, HSUS threw everything but the kitchen sink at us on Amendment One and Missouri agriculture prevailed.”
Amendment One is the Missouri right-to-farm amendment which voters narrowly passed last fall. But, Karen Strange, with the Missouri Federation for Animal Owners, sees it differently, “My concern is that groups like that would have the funding to put in a candidate or put forward a candidate that may or may not be interested in agriculture or have a personal vendetta – or – the vendetta of the animal rights organizations to put someone in there that could be harmful to agriculture.”
She says when an ag director is appointed now, they must have Missouri Senate approval which is a better safeguard than if they were elected. The Missouri Cattlemen’s Association also testified against the measure.
Missouri House Joint Resolution 29
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