HCS HB 1739 — Agricultural Loans. Defines "vermiculture operation" as a Missouri business entity engaged in raising earthworms under a controlled environment and makes them eligible for certain agricultural loan programs including Agricultural Linked Deposit loans and single-purpose animal facility loan guarantees. (Signed 6/21/06)

SCS SB 1008 — Governor's Advisory Council on Agricultural Science and Technology. (See State Government Law)

CCS HCS SB 1017 — Agricultural Programs. Provides that the State Milk Board will be the official rating agency for milk standards and specifies that the surveys be conducted biannually. The board is required to adopt a method of making official rating surveys of all milk sheds.

Establishes the Family Farms Act which will allow small farmers who have obtained a loan for the purchase of breeding livestock a waiver of the interest payments for the first year. The Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority will administer the program and may charge a one-time fee of 1% of the loan amount. The bill will allow a lender to apply to the authority for a tax credit in an amount equal to the amount of interest which would have otherwise been paid in the first year by the small farmer. Contains small farmer qualification requirements and specifies the duties of the authority in administering the program. The per-employee maximum amount of a loan under the Linked Deposit Program that an eligible job enhancement business may borrow from an eligible lending institution is raised from $25,000 to $50,000. (Signed 6/29/06)

SB 1020 — Fuel Storage Tanks. (See Environmental/Energy Law)