The bureau endorsed Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler, who came as runner-up behind Schmitt on Aug. 2 in the Republican primary. Missouri Farm Bureau follows in the steps of Missouri Soybeans, who also endorsed Hartzler and have now endorsed Schmitt in the general election.

“Missouri has long been blessed with outstanding leaders, especially in the world of agriculture. None has been better or more consistent than Vicky Hartzler. We are proud to stand with the members of the Missouri Farm Bureau and vote for her to be our next U.S. Senator. We hope you will join us on August 2 and do the same,” Missouri Farm Bureau president Garrett Hawkins said in an opinion editorial for the Missouri Times on July 12.

With Hartzler falling well short of Schmitt, it’s no surprise to see the Farm Bureau endorse the GOP nominee. Especially as Schmitt has framed his Democrat opponent, Trudy Busch Valentine, as “wrong for farmers” in recent weeks. Schmitt used his first general election advertisement to almost exclusively attack Busch for supporting President Biden and his “socialist agenda” over Missouri farmers.

“Rep. Hartzler served agriculture well as a member of the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture and she’s been a long-time grassroots leader in our organization. Earning our members’ endorsement in the primary,” Hawkins said in a statement. “Missourians were fortunate to have strong candidates to choose from in the primary election, and we look forward to Eric Schmitt bringing Missouri’s common sense values to Washington.”

This is far from the first time the bureau has spoken out in favor of Schmitt. The bureau backed Schmitt both when he was appointed as Attorney General in 2019 as well as when he ran his first campaign for the position in 2020.

“Attorney General Schmitt has been a staunch ally of rural Missourians at every level of public service,” Hawkins said in a press release. “We need strong leaders to fight on behalf of Missouri’s farmers and ranchers against an activist administration, and he has already proven he is not afraid to speak up and work for us.”

Featured Image courtesy of Eric Schmitt/Twitter

Matthew McFarland

I’m a journalist hailing from the Detroit area. I love to tell investigative stories with a focus on everyday people.

You can contact me by email at matthew@missouritimes.com

The post Farm Bureau endorses Schmitt for Senate appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Springfield, Mo. — The Springfield area will soon have a new voice to listen to on Saturday mornings. Cass Bowen, the communications director for the Eric Burlison congressional campaign, will join 93.3 KWTO with her own show.

Bowen has named the show “Uncommon Sense” and describes the program as “focusing on politics and social issues through the lens of a Midwestern Christian conservative 20-something.”

Conservative radio shows are not an untapped market in Missouri by any means. However, Bowen feels like she can provide something more than the average conservative radio talk.

In Bowen’s view, she thinks she can bridge the gap between the younger generation she belongs to and the older generations who often find themselves listening to talk radio shows.

“I’ll be able to show older generations cultural conversations,” she said. “While also staying on the pulse of what’s happening in Jefferson City.”

Bowen’s identity as a woman radio host also makes her a novelty in the land of media pundits.

“I want to show there are 20-something conservative women who want to speak out,” she said.

Bowen touts that the show will have a “diverse group of guest interviews,” including Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, who will be her first guest. Bowen said she plans to bring on guests with opposing views as well in an effort to debate in good faith.

“I will bring people with the opposite viewpoint as me,” she said. “I feel like civil discourse is a lost art, the ability to respectfully disagree.”

Had a great chat this morning with @JayAshcroftMO about the upcoming launch of my new show on @933KWTO September 3rd! pic.twitter.com/NQi9Tue9hd

— Cass Bowen Anderson (@cass_b_anderson) August 22, 2022

Bowen’s show will focus primarily on social and cultural issues while bringing in guests to discuss legislation and policy to inform her listeners

“Cultural issues that are being politicized, that’s my bread and butter,” she said. “Most people don’t realize — state and local government affects their lives way more than national level does.”

Starting on Sept. 3, Bowen will fill the airwaves at 10 a.m. every Saturday morning. Her show will be available on 93.3 FM and 560 AM as well as the KWTO app.

Bowen plans to feature President Biden’s recent decision on student loan forgiveness and the Missouri Legislature’s special session as key issues to kick off her show’s life.

I guess I didn’t need to go to a work college where I worked on and off campus all 4 years busting my ass to graduate with as little debt as possible. But sure let me pay off your 60k that you put towards your feminist studies degree

— Cass Bowen Anderson (@cass_b_anderson) August 25, 2022

Featured Image Courtesy of Cass Bowen/Twitter

Matthew McFarland

I’m a journalist hailing from the Detroit area. I love to tell investigative stories with a focus on everyday people.

You can contact me by email at matthew@missouritimes.com

The post “Uncommon Sense” with Cass Bowen to debut Sept. 3 on KWTO appeared first on The Missouri Times.

“It’s an honor to receive the early support of the MFPA and its members,” Kehoe said in a press release. “MFPA has made Missouri a national leader in the forest products industry, helping drive our economy by contributing thousands of jobs and billions of dollars of economic impact.”

Kehoe now has 11 early endorsements as the lone GOP candidate that has officially announced a bid for Governor. Kehoe’s endorsements include the Missouri Fraternal Order of Police, Missouri Soybeans and the Missouri Cattlemen’s association.

“We are proud to make this early endorsement and support this campaign because we know Mike Kehoe will
get the job done to keep Missouri’s economy growing,” Brian Brookshire, executive director for Missouri Forest Products, said in a press release. “MFPA members know Mike will continue to have their backs as governor because he is a small businessman with real-world leadership experience”

Kehoe’s early endorsements will be necessary for him to upset his presumed opponent, Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft. Ashcroft’s name recognition and family popularity will make him hard to beat.

Ashcroft hasn’t officially announced his run for Governor. However, his political committee is registered to run for statewide office in 2024 and has raised over $200,000 in contributions over the last election cycle, according to the Missouri Ethics Commission.

Kehoe has raised over $500,000 this election cycle, according to the Missouri Ethics Commission.

Matthew McFarland

I’m a journalist hailing from the Detroit area. I love to tell investigative stories with a focus on everyday people.

You can contact me by email at matthew@missouritimes.com

The post Missouri Forest Products Association endorses Kehoe for 2024 Governor race appeared first on The Missouri Times.

On Aug. 15, the group often found at the center of the bickering, the conservative caucus, disbanded.

The disbandment comes after multiple GOP candidates that would be assumed to align with caucus leader Sen. Bill Eigel, R-St. Charles County, and his allies did well in the Aug. 2 primaries. Including Jill Carter winning a major upset over the more moderate incumbent Sen. Bill White in Senate District 32.

The addition of the new senators will likely help former caucus members push for Senate leadership positions when they’re voted upon after the general election in November.

Eigel framed the disbandment as an “olive branch” in a press release, as well as calling for the Republican caucus to unite and “go fully on offense.”

“This is absolutely an attempt by the former conservative caucus to move away from divisiveness,” Eigel said. “We want to mend some of those fences.”

Some of his colleagues aren’t so sure.

“Honestly, it almost feels like there’s a not-so-veiled threat,” Sen. Lincoln Hough, R-Springfield, said. “That if they (former caucus members) don’t get what they want, then they’re going to take that olive branch back.”

Hough is in line to chair the Senate’s budget committee come next session, though he has been at odds with the former caucus members repeatedly during his first term. Hough defeated Angela Romine in his GOP primary Aug. 2, Romine was the farther right of the two, branding Hough as inadequately conservative.

Hough also killed a gun bill sponsored by former conservative caucus member Eric Burlison, making him a frequent target of Eigel and his allies. Burlison will leave the Senate to seek election to the U.S. House of Representatives.

“This small group of individuals has been obstructive to conservative policies,” Hough said of the likelihood the former caucus members unite with the rest of the Republicans. “The proof will be in the pudding, but I’ll be surprised.”

Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo, D-Jackson County, has adopted the same skeptical outlook.

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Rizzo said of the caucus’ call for unity. “They believe in getting along until they don’t.”

Rizzo cut a deal with Eigel during spring session to get Missouri’s congressional redistricting map passed and end session a day early.

Democrats in the Senate often stood to gain from fractures in the Republican caucus. Operating as a super-minority, the ten Democratic senators often jumped in on one side of the discord or the other, blocking conservative legislation either way.

Rizzo said it was “too early to say any of that” when asked about the possibility of the caucus’ disbandment being a political ploy to push for Senate leadership roles.

Eigel himself didn’t specifically call for a former caucus member to take a place in leadership in his press release. Instead saying the caucus members would commit themselves to any Senator who will empower each member of the Senate to have their voice heard.

“I look forward to them empowering my Democratic colleagues,” Rizzo said in response.

Eigel defends the caucus’ disbandment, and believes that a majority of the Republican caucus will work with him, skepticism or no skepticism.

“In an environment where trust has been lacking, I can understand the cynicism,” Eigel said. “I’m looking for colleagues who want a scenario of peace.”

It seems as though that scenario of peace is going to take some time to come to fruition. With a special session on an income tax cut and agricultural tax credit programs starting Sept. 6, the former caucus members will have some time to avail themselves and their “olive branch” mindset to their colleagues.

Hough said that the caucus’ very public disbandment feels like “more of the same” from the group of senators. Even so, Hough’s words on new Senate leadership match Eigel’s, time will tell if actions do.

“I’m looking for someone who wants to continue building this state — not dismantle it — not throw rocks,” Hough said. “We are all better off when we work together.”

Featured Image: Sen. Lincoln Hough on the Senate floor in Jefferson City on March 2, 2021. (Provided)

Matthew McFarland

I’m a journalist hailing from the Detroit area. I love to tell investigative stories with a focus on everyday people.

You can contact me by email at matthew@missouritimes.com

The post With special session looming, some senators skeptical of conservative caucus “olive branch” appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Recognizing the importance of agriculture to Missouri, Governor Mike Parson called for a special legislative session to extend critical agricultural tax credit programs and cut the state’s income tax. These tax credit programs work; they have been operating successfully for over two decades. They have helped local butchers and meat processors expand, increase the reach and impact of farmer-owned cooperatives and built the foundation for Missouri’s renewable fuel industry.

Agricultural tax credit programs have consistently created a measurable return on investment for Missouri taxpayers. For every dollar in tax credits issued, these programs have returned anywhere from two to seven dollars in economic benefit to our state, depending on the specific program.

Despite this stellar track record, some members of the legislature insisted that the programs be extended less than the standard six-year authorization for tax credits. After numerous negotiations, the legislature passed a two-year ag program extension in HB 1720, which Governor Parson vetoed in July. Governor Parson’s special session plan would extend existing programs a minimum of six years. It would also expand these successful programs to include incentives for ethanol and biodiesel, urban farming operations, and specialty crop production assistance.

While we are incredibly appreciative of the legislature’s work to pass a compromise package at the end of this year’s legislative session (HB 1720), the bottom line is these programs need to be fully reauthorized in order to be effective in growing the agriculture industry in Rural Missouri. Providing this certainty allows businesses to work with lenders and investors to develop building or expansion plans without fear that the government will pull the rug out from under them as soon as they get up and running. Governor Parson noted that the legislature passed eight bills with six-year sunsets on tax incentives for other industries, but unfortunately, agriculture was not given the same opportunity.

Farmers and ranchers have always been an entrepreneurial bunch. We take calculated risks and enjoy working to find the next big thing to help our rural communities. Rural Missouri should have access to proven tax incentives that help our small towns thrive so that we can pass our rural way of life on to our kids and grandkids. Missouri Farm Bureau supports Governor Parson’s request to pass this package of tax credit programs to keep our rural economy vibrant.

The post Opinion: Missouri Farm Bureau Supports Governor Parson’s Call for Special Session appeared first on The Missouri Times.

“The Governor’s special session is an election season ploy to change the subject after suddenly discovering that eliminating Missourians’ reproductive rights isn’t the winning issue Republicans thought it would be,” Quade said in a press release put out just minutes after Parson’s Monday afternoon press conference. “It is also a textbook example of fiscal irresponsibility.”

Parson proposed a variety of cuts at a press conference Monday that are permanent and different from the rebate detailed in HB 2090, an income-tax-based bill that would have given a refund based on income-tax liability. Parson vetoed the bill on July 1. He has now proposed a 4.8% income tax rate, down from the current 5.3%. 

“Our tax cut proposal means that every taxpaying Missourian, no matter their background, income, or job description, will see a reduction in their tax liability,” Parson said. “Every Missourian will earn their first $16,000 tax-free and married joint filers will earn their first $32,000 tax-free, resulting in significant savings for millions of Missourians.”

Legislators and interested groups have criticized the way the cut is calculated. Currently, the Governor is proposing a cut based on income tax. This means the more a resident makes, the more a resident will save, keeping more money in the pockets of high-earning Missourians than low-earning ones. 

According to data from the Institue of Taxation and Economic Policy, the top 1% of Missourians would see by far the most benefit from the tax cuts, even when factoring in the new standard deduction for married and joint filers. The lowest earning Missourians, those making less than $22,000 annually, would see by far the least benefit.

A distracting proposal offered by Governor Parson would give a tax cut of $6000 to certain earners & $84 to others, according to the MBP — guess where most Missourians fall? Average median income for an MO individual in 2020 was $30,662 & household income was $57,290. #MOLeg pic.twitter.com/evwJEp6yOU

— Rep. LaKeySha Bosley (@TeamBosleyMO79) August 22, 2022

The proposal also doesn’t give a clear way to help pay for state revenue lost to the tax cut.

Parson met with Democratic House members Tuesday. 

“We had a nice conversation, to be honest,” said Rep. Peter Merideth, D-St. Louis City, a ranking minority member on the Budget committee. 

Meredith said that there was some pushback, but that there were also some things that House Minority Leadership and the Governor agreed on as well. 

The tax proposal has seen its fair share of backlash, however the other piece of legislation Parson wants to work on combined with tax cuts could make for a long, possibly contentious session. The opposite of what Parson wants after calling a session over two bills he vetoed.

“The Senate rule has the chance to come together, on both sides of the aisle, for what’s good for all Missourians,” Parson said at his press conference Monday after making remarks about his hope for a quick session.

The other bill on the table is HB 1720, a bill with stipulations regarding The Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority (MASBDA) and the longevity of the programs it holds authority over. Parson wanted more of the programs to be up for renewal after six years,  instead of the proposed two years, with a possible six-year extension. 

“Vetoing an ag bill is not something I took lightly or wanted to do,” Parson said Monday. “But we cannot leave our farmers, ranchers and business owners with a bad deal.”

The bill passed the House 111-26, with support from Democrats. Without their support, it is difficult to say if the bill would have passed. This need for Democrat support is something that will likely follow this bill into the upcoming session. 

But there are other aspects that could cause issues this session as well. 

Some members of the general assembly that are participating in this session will not be returning afterward. Many have lost their primary, which is a factor that could change their perspective on voting for or against legislation. 

Many members won their primary and some could use this session as a potential boost they could use for their gain in their upcoming general election. 

Either way, a session after primaries but before generals can certainly throw a wrench in the agendas of many legislators from both sides of the aisle In Jefferson City.

With Senate leadership elections looming, and in the wake of the conservative caucus’ “olive branch” many factors will be playing into the politics of the upcoming special session

The only thing we know for certain is that it will not be quick or easy.

Featured Image: Rep. Crystal Quade and the House Democratic Caucus holds a press conference (TIM BOMMEL/HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS).

The post Democrat pushback on tax cut could set stage for slow-moving special session appeared first on The Missouri Times.

The most talked about and controversial piece of legislation is Parson’s proposal on income tax cuts that he announced at a press conference Monday afternoon. Parson vetoed HB 2090, a bill that aimed to give both married couples and single filers a tax rebate based on their income tax liability, on July 1.

Parson has come back with a much different proposal than that outlined in HB 2090. On Monday afternoon the Governor outlined his plan to drop the income tax rate from 5.3% to 4.8%. Parson’s plan would also eliminate the bottom tax bracket.

Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo, D-Jackson County, added an amendment to HB 2090 that put an income cap on those who could receive the refund of $150,000 for singles and $300,000 for joint filers. Parson opposed the amendment prior to vetoing the bill, the St. Louis Post Dispatch reported.

“Senate Democrats approved targeted tax relief for working families … the Governor vetoed it,” Rizzo said in a statement. “We’ll carefully review his new proposal … if there is a tax cut it should benefit the middle-class working families in Missouri.”

Parson will meet with Democratic leadership in the House Tuesday to discuss his plan.

Stakeholders, specifically the AARP, previously criticized HB 2090 for being based on income tax liability, meaning Missouri’s lowest earners would see the least amount of help. Parson’s proposal may be able to fix that issue if he gets his way during special session.

“Our tax cut proposal means that every taxpaying Missourian, no matter their background, income, or job description, will see a reduction in their tax liability,” Parson said. “Every Missourian will earn their first $16,000 tax-free and married joint filers will earn their first $32,000 tax-free, resulting in significant savings for millions of Missourians.”

During his press conference, Parson put his proposal in perspective, citing that a senior making $20,000 a year would see a 100% decrease in income tax liability.

Still, the cut being income-tax-based would benefit the wealthy more than lower earners, as paying a lower percentage of income tax becomes more beneficial with the more income one makes. Detractors from the plan have pointed to former Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback’s tax cut disaster, criticizing Parson for using temporary federal relief funds to cover the loss in revenue from tax cuts.

“While Governor Parson focused on how certain struggling individuals might pay less in taxes, the proposals discussed today remain heavily weighted to benefit the wealthiest Missourians,” Amy Blouin, president of the Missouri Budget Project said in a press release shortly after Parson’s press conference.

“Relying on the current surplus to fund permanent tax changes isn’t fiscally sustainable, or responsible, and will ultimately require cuts to state services like we saw in Kansas a few years ago,” she added.

Parson believes his proposal is sustainable, he addressed concerns about reliance on federal money at his press conference.

“We’re not factoring in federal money with this,” Parson said. “This is general revenue in the state … we believe we can sustain this.”

The state may soon have an influx in revenue to cover the income tax cut, pending the legalization and taxation of the recreational use of marijuana. Legal Missouri 2022, the campaign which got marijuana legalization on the ballot through an initiative petition, estimates that legal cannabis would generate $40.8 million annually for the state.

Parson hopes to get the income tax bill done quickly, noting that he’s met with a lot of state legislators, the majority of which have supported Parson’s plan.

“I welcome Gov. Parson’s call for a special session — and I plan to file a bill on the first day to cut taxes for every family in Missouri,” Sen. Lincoln Hough. R-Springfield, said. “Allowing Missourians to make more income before they actually have to file taxes is continuing to remove burdensome government from the lives of everyday Missourians.”

Despite expected pushback from across the aisle and within his own party, Parson believes that he has put a good proposal on the table.

“The Senate rule has the chance to come together, on both sides of the aisle, for what’s good for all Missourians,” he said.

Parson also spoke about his plans for agriculture tax credit programs. Parson vetoed HB 1720 in July over concerns about the two-year extension period. His new proposal extends and creates nearly a dozen tax credit programs for agriculture providers and sets a minimum time of six years before the programs need to be renewed.

“Vetoing an ag bill is not something I took lightly or wanted to do,” Parson said. “But we cannot leave our farmers, ranchers and business owners with a bad deal.”

Featured Image Courtesy of Governor Mike Parson (Facebook)

Matthew McFarland

I’m a journalist hailing from the Detroit area. I love to tell investigative stories with a focus on everyday people.

You can contact me by email at matthew@missouritimes.com

The post Parson officially issues call for special session, lays out plan for income tax cut appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Matthew McFarland

I’m a journalist hailing from the Detroit area. I love to tell investigative stories with a focus on everyday people.

You can contact me by email at matthew@missouritimes.com

The post Bean to run for Assistant Floor Leader appeared first on The Missouri Times.

In her new book, “Musings of a Baby Boomer, Life Before X, Y and Z,” Hoflander compiles her large collection of newspaper columns into a collection focused on the reluctant aging of her generation. Hoflander graduated with a degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and owned her own weekly newspaper, the Penny Post, in Boonville, Mo.

Hoflander then went on to write her own weekly newspaper column, “Full Circle,” a column tailored to baby boomers. “Full Circle” focuses the trials of aging as well as the adaptation — and sometimes lack thereof  — baby boomers have exhibited to a changing world around them.

“I think this is just a way, through humor and short stories, to help the younger generation understand their parents and grandparents,” Hoflander said. “Underlying all this is that baby boomers adapted to all this, or not.”

In an age where generational divides run deep, Hoflander believes understanding to the world each generation grows up in can help serve as a bridge.

“Each generation has a hard time understanding the younger generation,” she said. “The more we can learn, both ways, the better.”

Hoflander also hopes to provide context to the history of the baby boomer generation through her book, which is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Using her own experience, Hoflander hopes to provide insight into historical events baby boomers lived through.

“You need to understand history,” she said. “How do you do that? You understand what like was like then.”

As baby boomers age, Hoflander thinks that her book can offer a little comfort. Utilizing her signature style of using quotes to set the tone of her columns; Hoflander tackles issues ranging from “a complicated relationship with the GPS,” to heavier topics such as aging and disease.

She hopes that through humor and personal experience, she can help baby boomers deal with the realities of aging, as well as preserving their identity tied to their upbringing.

“This book is dedicated to anyone who comes to this unexpected epiphany — I’m the same inside,” Hoflander said. “You’re the same person.”

Featured Image Courtesy of Kay Hoflander.

Matthew McFarland

I’m a journalist hailing from the Detroit area. I love to tell investigative stories with a focus on everyday people.

You can contact me by email at matthew@missouritimes.com

The post Hoflander aims to help generations understand each other in new book appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Keith Baxter is a cattleman in Rogersville, Mo. he’s dealt with the effects of the drought first-hand.

“It’s kinda been a one-two punch for us down here,” Baxter said of rising fertilizer and gas prices coinciding with the wet spring and summer drought. “We couldn’t lay as much fertilizer as we wanted, and then we ran out of pastures for grazing.”

Baxter, like many cattlemen in Missouri, has been forced to feed his winter food reserves to his cattle during the summer, meaning he will likely be forced to scrape by come the cold months.

Baxter even resorted to letting his nearly 200 cattle forage for food, letting them wander to find anything green.

“We had to keep close tabs on the herds … we had issues with cattle getting out,” he said. “Obviously they’re going to go look for something green to eat instead of hay.”

Logan Brittingham is a row crop and cattle farmer in Poplar Bluff, Mo.. He farms with his grandpa on their family-owned farm, something he’s done since he was 13.

“It was a real wet spring, all the crops were late getting in … about a month late,” he said. “It’s just been a rough year for farmers, we’ve seen the two extremes … it’s affected every farm around my area.”

Brittingham hasn’t culled his heard yet, though he plans to, depending on how hay cutting goes.

Brittingham owns about 100 cattle and farms rice and soybeans as well, for him, the financial impact of the drought has been twofold. Brittingham was forced to sell cattle recently as a result of the drought.

“My irrigated land has been fine,” he said. “But my dryland — it’s gonna be an insurance farm this year.”

The financial impacts have been felt by both producers and consumers, as high gas prices, fertilizer and a lacking, oversaturated market have put many farmers in a tight spot.

“Even when we make profit, it’s just moving dollars around,” Baxter said of the high overhead costs associated with farming this year. “They’re (the consumers) spending a lot more money too, but it ain’t going to me — trust me.”

“The cost of everything, across the board, has come up,” Brittingham said.

Thankfully, some rain has mercifully made its way to the southern part of the state. Although Rogersville is still considered to be dealing with a severe drought and Poplar Bluff is dealing with a moderate drought, according to the federal drought tracker. 

Even while still dealing with severe drought issues, Baxter thinks things are starting to look up in Rogersville.

“The pressure has backed off a bit,” he said.

Baxter attributes the improvement of conditions as much to the rain as he does to the support of his rural community.

“Our local co-op has supplied support,” Baxter said. “We’re lucky to be surrounded by other family farms, sharing hay and helping each other.”

Characteristic of a farmer, Baxter feels optimistic about how he and the farmers around him will handle the lasting impacts of the drought going forward.

“This ain’t the first drought we ever been through down here,” he said. “It don’t make it easier, but we know what to do … It’s a good time to find out that you have good neighbors.”

Featured Image Courtesy of The High Plains Journal (Reagan Bluel)

Matthew McFarland

I’m a journalist hailing from the Detroit area. I love to tell investigative stories with a focus on everyday people.

You can contact me by email at matthew@missouritimes.com

The post Southern Missouri cattlemen give their input on a “tough year for farmers” appeared first on The Missouri Times.