Farmland and foreign ownership

As a board member of the Cape Girardeau Farm Bureau, I supported the efforts of Missouri Farm Bureau in 2013 to oppose a repeal of the prohibition of foreign ownership of Missouri farmland. But unfortunately, an amendment was slipped into the bill during the last few days of the 2013 legislative session to allow up to 1 percent foreign ownership of Missouri farmland.

Gov. Nixon vetoed the bill, but the General Assembly overrode the veto. Missouri Farm Bureau opposed the override.

Furthermore, during the 2014 state legislative session, Missouri Farm Bureau is supporting legislation to reinstate the prohibition of foreign ownership of Missouri farmland and cap the foreign ownership at the current level. If this is going to happen, our state legislators are going to need to get serious and pass the bill soon. The session ends May 16.

Now for those who are writing letters the editor and opposing Constitutional Amendment No. 1, I would ask you please stop misleading the public and trying to link foreign ownership of Missouri farmland to Amendment No. 1. If you are really opposed to foreign ownership of Missouri farmland, write letters, contact your state legislators and start working to help us get the prohibition reinstated. We only have a few days left.

LARRY MILLER, board of directors, Cape County Farm Bureau, Jackson