Missouri Governor signs executive order limiting foreign ownership of farmland in Missouri.
Gov. Mike Parson on Jan. 2 issued an executive order purporting to prohibit people and businesses from countries designated as foreign adversaries from purchasing agricultural land located within 10 miles of a military facility. However, the governor’s action appears to be an unconstitutional attempt to enact legislation via executive order.
Although the executive order doesn’t specify the list of countries deemed to be foreign adversaries, an accompanying news release said those counties include China, Cuba, Iran North Korea, Russia and Venezuela.
The issue of foreign ownership of Missouri farmland has been controversial for more than a decade. Missouri law prohibited any foreign ownership – regardless of whether an adversarial country was involved – until 2013 when the Republican-controlled General Assembly overrode a veto by then Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat, to repeal the ban. Smithfield Foods, which owns several large animal production facilities in Missouri, pushed for the
change and shortly thereafter was sold to a Chinese company.
State General Revenue Down 1.7% in First Half of FY24 Year-to-date net state general revenue collections decreased 1.7 percent through the first half of the 2024 fiscal year, going from $6.24 billion last year to $6.13 billion this year. Collections had been down 2.2 percent through the first five months of the fiscal year.
Net general revenue collections in December 2024 increased 0.6 percent compared to those for December 2022, going from $1.08 billion last year to $1.09 billion this year. The continuing decline in individual and corporate income taxes resulting from significant tax cuts enacted by the Republican-controlled legislature was largely responsible for the anemic collections in December.
Missouri Governor Taps Two Veteran Lawmakers for MODOT Commission Gov. Mike Parson on Jan. 2 appointed former St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay and former state Sen. Dan Hegeman of St. Joseph to the Missouri State Highways and Transportation Commission, the independent governing authority for the state Department of Transportation.
Slay, a Democrat, served an unprecedented four terms as St. Louis mayor, from 2001 to 2017. He currently is executive director of the St. Louis Regional Crime Commission. Hegeman, a Republican, served in Missouri House of Representatives from 1991-2002 and the state Senate from 2015-2022. Before leaving the legislature due to term limits, he was chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee.
Because Parson, a Republican, appointed both men one day before the legislature convened for the year, they are considered interim appointments and began serving immediately. They were both confirmed by the Senate Committee on Gubernatorial Appointments on Thursday,
