Resolutions are reviewed annually at the Missouri Dairy Expo - proposed new resolutions are underlined.

State Issues

1.  Oppose regulations on volatile organic compounds, dust, noise, and odor on agricultural operations in Missouri.
2.  Support voluntary country or state of origin labeling on fresh meat, dairy and other agricultural products.
3.  Support the Missouri Unfair Milk Sales Act.
4.  Support the regulation of agriculture being limited to state jurisdiction and we do not believe local jurisdiction, such as county commissioners and county health ordinances should be allowed to regulate agriculture.
5.  Continue to oppose any regulations, environmental or health, that are more strict than Federal regulations and educate County Commissioners.
6.  Oppose any legislation or ballot issue that restricts or diminishes livestock production in the state of Missouri, and support new initiatives concerning livestock security and Bio and Eco-terrorism, to:

          A. Strengthen the penalties for anyone involved in livestock theft and terrorist activities affecting the agriculture industry.
          B. Provide increased coordination of local, state, and federal official to more effectively monitor and respond to these threats.
          C. Give producers increased protections against false and derogatory statements or ballot issues that would damage or endanger a producer's livelihood, product, property, or diminish livestock production practices.
7.  Support incentives for new and existing dairy producers in the Missouri Department of Economic Development's programs.
8.  Oppose efforts to increase property taxes on agricultural land in Missouri.
9.  Solicit political support for economic development assistance for dairy in Missouri.
10.  Support all Agriculture related initiatives (crop or livestock) that will result in economic development in Missouri be eligible for state tax credit programs.
11. Support and join “The Coalition to Preserve the Missouri River”. 
12.  Request DNR to develop a general permit which would cover small milk processing operations in Missouri. 
13.  Enhance the management knowledge of dairy farmers by focusing on new innovative production practices and technologies.
14.  Support management education opportunities at dairy meetings. 
15.  Support purpose and activities of the Missouri Dairy Growth Council, to formulate an action plan to build the dairy industry in Missouri, utilize a broad coalition of stakeholders, provide the resources to implement the plan, and gain the authority to proceed.
16.  Support legislation to provide assistance to beginning farmers.
17.  Support 88,000 lb. limit for all of agriculture.  We support aligning truck weight limits with surrounding states to facilitate interstate transport. (2024)
18.  Support the one tenth sales tax for Missouri parks and soils.
19.  The University of Missouri Extension is providing valuable information for agriculture and the Missouri dairy industry.  We recommend increased funding and support of this valuable program.
20.  Support establishing standards for acceptable levels of stray voltage. 
21.  Support policy which improves Missouri's competitive advantage in retaining and attracting agriculture and ag-related businesses and enhances Missouri's position in the global marketplace. 
22.  Support retaining positions for state and regional dairy Extension specialists.
23.  Oppose increasing the deer population in Missouri.
24.  Support:  State environmental rules and regulation must be based on sound scientific evidence and not put into effect without a cost-benefit, economic-impact study.  The burden of proof shall be on the governmental entity promulgating the rule or regulation to prove the rule or regulation is necessary to prevent specific circumstances or conditions causing harm to human health or the environment.
25.  Support MASBDA issuance of tax credits for individuals pursuing value added agriculture opportunities and we feel livestock conversion of grain to milk and other food products should be regarded as value-added for funding.
26.  Support the development of animal disease research facilities and diagnostic biosecurity level III capabilities to help and support the efforts to increase diagnostic and animal disease research for the protection of our livestock.
27.  Support Missouri's current statutes on raw milk sales and encourage the Missouri State Milk Board to inspect facilities of producers who sell raw milk.
28.  Support efforts to make voter passed referendum actions be of no negative budget impact to local or state budgets.  If such actions have an impact, then the referendum shall include language detailing funding details which shall also be passed by a vote of the people.
29.  Support the continued annual review of the livestock stocking rate, by the Missouri State FSA Committee, in determining payments on pasture loss.
30. We support the reassessment of dairy stocking rates in FSA Drought assistance. (2023) 
31.  Support State Veterinarian's efforts on controlling trichomoniasis in Missouri.
32.  Oppose the consolidation of any more Farm Service Agency offices in Missouri. 
33.  Support the efforts of, and continued membership in, Missouri Farmers Care.
34.  Oppose eminent domain by all private companies.                                                                                                                                   
35.  Support the Missouri Tax Commission's recommendation of a zero percent increase for Missouri farmland.
36.  Support efforts to exempt agriculture disaster payments from being taxed as income.
37.  Support legislation to change “strict liability” for livestock owners for damages caused by livestock that escape their confines to “negligence
38.  Encourage Missouri counties to apply for the Agri-Ready County designation from Missouri Farmers Care.
39.  Support repeal of prevailing wage.
40.  Support legislation that ensures owners who are found innocent are not liable for the costs associated with holding their animals and that their animals must be returned immediately.
41.  Support revisions to Missouri law which clearly prohibits the condemnation of private property, for transfer to a private owner, for the purpose of economic development that only indirectly benefits the general public.
42.  Support state legislation which will advance private property rights, including increasing the level of transparency when it comes to the government purchase of land.
43.  Support restrictions for unfair lobbying practices.
44.  Support the Dairy Pride Act.  
45.  Support a County Commission's right to approve an infrastructure project prior to a Public Service Commission approval of a project.
46.  Support the Missouri State Milk Board.
47.  Support removing the word “chemical” from Chapter 340.200 Definitions, the definition of “Veterinary medicine”.
48.  Oppose any off-farm raw milk sales to the general public.
49. We support the exemption of farm labor from mandatory overtime wage law. (2023)
50. We support opportunities for farmers to obtain affordable healthcare (2024)
(Background: Farm Bureau will help craft language that supports their efforts in the form of a “Health Plan”)

Federal Issues: Operations and Marketing

1. Support efforts by schools to serve whole and flavored milk and to receive additional financial resources to purchase the products. 

2. Support designating cottonseed as an oilseed to make it eligible for farm program payments. 

3. Encourage processors to meet consumer convenience and packaging needs. 

4. Support the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA).

5. Encourage dairy farmer support of the Beef Checkoff Program. 

6. Support labeling of reconstituted Class 1 milk. 

7. Support Federal Milk Marketing Order Program reform and the tightening of pooling regulations. 

8. Oppose voluntary participation in the sharing of higher use pool funds. 

9. Support reducing or eliminating the make allowance on all dairy products. 

10. Support increasing milk solids to current California standards. 

11. Oppose the labeling and packaging of plant-based beverages as “milk” and displaying them in the dairy case. 

12. Support legislation to prohibit labeling of plant based foods as dairy products.  

13. Oppose the use of imported dried milk proteins in the production of dairy products and dairy manufacturing.  

14. Support stronger regulations regarding performance standards of pooled plants.  

15. Support further restrictions on the pooling of milk which causes a negative impact on Class 1 utilization resulting in lower prices paid to dairy farmers. 

16. Encourage USDA to aggressively find new markets for the inventories of dairy products. 

17. Support increasing the DMC feed adjustment formula. 

18. Support modifications to the current Federal Milk Marketing Order structure and the formulas and price classes used to compute milk prices to better reflect current market conditions. 

19. Support the current dairy checkoff program and oppose a mandatory referendum. 

20. Oppose the introduction of raw milk from Canada into the U.S.

21. Oppose a Free Trade Agreement with New Zealand that allows more New Zealand dairy products to be imported into the U.S. 

22. Support dairy trade with Cuba.  

Federal Issues: Public Policy and Government Relations

1. Support tax laws that provide:  fair and equitable treatment to farmers; inheritance taxes which allow farmers to pass their business to family members; protection to farmers on the necessary tangible components of a dairy operation; enhanced capital gains treatment on family farm assets; for farmers to use income averaging; and, a permanent 10% Investment Tax Credit (ITC) targeting equipment and livestock. 

2. Support voluntary Johne's eradication with federal funding. 

3. Oppose any attempt to eliminate any part of the current funding in the Farm Bill for Johne's eradication. 

4. Support an increase in funding for Johne's Diseases.  

5. Favor an accelerated national eradication program for brucellosis.  We support a research program to develop a better vaccine for both cattle and calves.  We oppose reducing available funds from the state or national eradication programs.  We commend the Missouri Department of Agriculture for its efforts in obtaining a Class free brucellosis rating for Missouri.  We encourage producers for voluntarily vaccinate. 

6. Support voluntary national animal traceability. 

7. Support the Electoral College process of electing our U.S. president and vice-president. 

8. Oppose any greenhouse tax proposal on all livestock. 

9. Support increased funding for the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) part of the Farm Bill and maintain at least 60% of the funding in Missouri for the livestock industry. 

10. We are concerned over the loss of approved modern technologies for dairy production and therefore feel that dairymen should be compensated for this loss. 

11. Oppose deceptive marketing and promotion and/or label claims pertaining to dairy and other food products, without scientific proof and testing, implying superiority when compared to other products not bearing such claims.

12. Support strict enforcement of the federal Packers and Stockyards Act.  Furthermore, we oppose any further restrictions on livestock marketing in Missouri that could adversely impact marketing options for livestock producers.  

13. Support Congressional authority on the CO2 decision and other environmental issues. 

14. We appreciate the dairy producers who have participated to date in the Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) program.  Their efforts to produce a safe, wholesome, product at reasonable profit levels are to be commended.  We support 100% participation in the CWT working program. 

15. We support alternative means to generate power. 

16. We support the efforts of all groups in establishing additional nuclear energy in Missouri.  

17. We strongly oppose further regulation by EPA or state agencies on coal burning plants. 

18. Support the vision and mission of the American Farmers for the Advancement and Conservation of Technology (AFACT).  

19. Oppose Cap and Trade legislation including any environmental tax that would drive dairy production costs up, now and in the future. 

20. Support legislation to clarify that livestock production was not intended to be included in CERCLA or EPCA. 

21. Oppose the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule that was proposed by the EPA. 

22. Support legislation that would indemnify dairy producers with aflatoxin in their milk if it is not marketable. 

23. While we feel milk is safe and nutritious, we oppose the marketing of milk from cloned cows and thus the necessity of using promotion funds to combat consumer resistance to dairy products associated with milk from cloned dairy cattle. 

24. Encourage processors to be more aggressive in the introduction of milk vending machines and single serve enhanced containers. 

25. Support the exclusion of dairy in the Southeast Asia Free Trade Agreement which would allow unrestricted imports of dairy products from New Zealand. 

26. Support the review of IRS tax exempt status of non profit groups who do lobbying.

27. Support the addition of heat index information with precipitation for the drought monitor for determining qualifications for the Livestock Forage Program (LFP) and pasture loss. 

28. Support NRCS and Extension making the loss determination for NAP loss on pastures rather than hay policies. 

29. Support a determination be made by on-farm adjusters for NAP consistent with other crops instead of basing the loss off of hay policies. 

30. Support EPA using Missouri's rule for Numeric Nutrient Criteria (NNC). 

31. Oppose the U.S. Department of Labor's attempts to restrict youth from working in the agriculture industry.

32. Support the efforts by youth to gain agriculture employment opportunities and experiences. 

33. Oppose any new regulations by EPA or other governmental agency. 

34. Strongly support rural broadband. 

35. Support Right to Repair. 

Commendations

Commend past MDA/MDIA board members for their service and leadership to the Missouri dairy industry.
Commend Missouri Soybean Association for providing personnel and resources to help get Missouri Dairy established.

Adopted Jan. 20, 2023, proposed language underlined, to be discussed at 2024 Annual Meeting