The 2026 legislative session proved to be productive, with lawmakers passing 100 bills in total, out of nearly 3,000 bills that were filed. Keep in mind, it takes countless hours and minds to sift through all the proposed bills, drafting amendments and debating which ideas muster the support needed to pass. Voters expect policymakers to focus on legislation that will make Missouri a place where families want to work, live and put down roots.
For Missouri Farm Bureau (MOFB), this was a year to focus on the fundamentals. We supported legislation that reduced regulatory burdens for agriculture and created incentives for agricultural businesses.
Time and time again, we hear from farmers and business owners searching for regulatory relief. One piece of legislation that will do just that is Senate Bill (SB) 1033, sponsored by Senator Jason Bean (R-Holcomb) and carried in the House by Representative Dane Diehl (R-Butler). This law modernizes air quality regulations and repeals outdated motor vehicle emission inspection requirements for certain farm vehicles. This bill also removed antiquated air dispersion modeling requirements for cotton gins.
Another victory for regulatory clarity came through SB 953, also sponsored by Senator Bean and carried in the House by Representative Collin Wellenkamp (R-St. Charles). This bill ensures common farming practices are not subject to regulatory and legal risk and clarifies that non-point source producers are exempt from permitting. These changes were initially championed by Senator Kurtis Gregory (R-Marshall) and Representative Doyle Justus (R-Troy) in standalone bills.
MOFB also supported legislation that sustains the economic vitality of our farms and invests in the next generation of agriculturalists. The General Assembly granted a five-year extension for value-added agriculture tax credits with the passage of SB 913, sponsored by Senator Gregory and carried in the House by Representative Justus. These programs help promote continued investment in both farmer-owned processing cooperatives and small meat processing facilities, while supplying a boost to small businesses across rural Missouri.
As usual, there was good legislation that failed to cross the finish line. This year marked the introduction of the Landowner Fairness Act, a set of reforms that will better protect landowners throughout the entire eminent domain process. The legislation would improve compensation for taken property, increase transparency during condemnation proceedings and strengthen due process protections for landowners. We will continue to push reforms like HB 3375 (Costlow), SB 1698 (Schroer), and SB 1699 (Gregory 21) next year.
MOFB has continued to fight for legislation that tightens statutory language to prevent solar and wind generation facilities from using eminent domain. SB 954 (Bean) and HB 2169 (Pollitt) attempted to resolve this issue and were part of a broader solar regulation package, HB 2762 sponsored by Representative Brad Banderman (St. Clair). Though many legislators worked to pass basic solar regulations, that work will need to continue in the next legislative session.
MOFB is committed to getting the fundamentals right and to taking on the big challenges. We will continue to advocate for our members and encourage legislators to protect private property rights in 2027.
