This week the Senate debated and gave final approval to a bill which would help preserve the rights of farmers to operate their farms and ranches within the law without fear of losing their livelihood as a result of being sued. A disturbing trend has developed recently in which farmers are the targets of nuisance lawsuits designed to do nothing other than make it difficult for them to stay in business.
As urban dwellers move to rural areas, this situation is happening more and more often. A farmer has worked the land or raised livestock, often being the second or third generation to do so. A neighbor sells his or her land to a developer and suddenly a new subdivision goes up next to a cornfield or feedlot. Before they know what is happening, a summons to appear in court is served. Under current law, even if the farmer is found to be not guilty, they can be sued again the very next day for the very same thing.
Agriculture is our state’s number one industry. Not only are jobs provided in crop and livestock production, but other businesses such as energy, transportation, processing, and sales employ tens of thousands of people. Allowing production agriculture to fall victim to baseless legal action is simply not acceptable.
The actions being taken against those involved in production agriculture are many and varied. Farmers are being targeted for dust and noise created by machinery and equipment, livestock odors, controlled burning of crop residue, and other legal agriculture practices. Most farmers in our state try to be not only good stewards of the land, but also good neighbors. They attempt to minimize intrusions on new neighbors, but some simple facts do not change: animals smell and tractors make noise. These are not new revelations in rural living.
SB187 will help protect those involved in production agriculture by limiting damages from lawsuits filed simply to make it difficult for someone to operate a farm or ranch
On a different note, I find that I learn new things every day in this job, and I try to take everything in stride. However, what I learned about where some of Missouri’s welfare recipients are spending their time has me boiling mad.
The government program which distributes welfare benefits is known as TANF (Temporary cash Assistance to Needy Families). Paper food stamps have been replaced by magnetic strip EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) cards. As such, the transactions are readily and easily traceable.
Since much of Missouri’s population lives near a state line, it is understandable some activity is going to occur in other states such as Kansas, Illinois, and Arkansas. However, some states where benefits are being spent are a very long distance from the Show-Me State. One is not even accessible by car.
Chris Nagus, a St. Louis television reporter, examined records provided by the Missouri Department of Social Services. What he found is nothing short of incredible.
In Florida, Missouri welfare recipients spent $84,061 on food and withdrew $9737 in cash from ATMs. In California, the totals were $69,672 for food and $7818 in cash. In the biggest insult to taxpayers, welfare recipients spent $2737 for food and withdrew $175…in HAWAII!
I thought it was bad enough when I would be in line at the grocery store, hoping I had enough money to pay for hamburger and the person in front of me was using an EBT card to pay for steaks. These new events are a whole new level of insult to taxpayers. I am sure there are many hard working Missourians who would love to take their families to Florida, California, or Hawaii for a vacation but cannot afford to do so or cannot get time off from work. Apparently, if a person is not encumbered by having a job it is easier to get away.
No one is saying there are not those who truly need help through no fault of their own. However, when a person is able bodied and can use the system to avoid being productive, no one benefits, including the recipient.
There once was a time when being on welfare came with a stigma. Now it is considered normal since that is what their parents did. One generation follows in the footsteps of the previous. We can pass law after law in Jefferson City, but nothing takes the place of personal responsibility.
As always, you may contact me at 573-751-1882, e-mail to chuck{dot}purgason{at}senate{dot}mo{dot}gov or write to me at State Capitol, Room 416, 201 West Capitol Avenue, Jefferson City, MO 65101.
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