The Missouri Department of Agriculture and Department of Natural Resources will offer multiple opportunities for fairgoers to offer comments on department rules during the Missouri State Fair, Aug. 10-20, in Sedalia.

"The Missouri State Fair attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year and provides an excellent platform through which we can encourage feedback," says Chris Chinn, Missouri director of agriculture. "Hearing our farmers and ranchers about the rules that work well and the ones that could be improved is essential to the future prosperity and vitality of our state."

"We work to protect air, land and water quality while promoting the environmentally sound operations of business, industry and agriculture," says Carol S. Comer, Department of Natural Resources director. "Burdensome regulations and time-consuming paperwork that provide minimal enhancements to our natural resources and public health protection are not effective. I am looking forward to hearing from Missouri's agricultural community on ways we can help them thrive."

In response to Gov. Eric Greitens' Executive Order 17-03, all state departments are working to review their rules to ensure that they are essential to the health, safety or welfare of Missourians; that the costs of the regulation do not outweigh their benefits; to determine if less restrictive alternatives have been considered and found less desirable than the regulation; to ensure the regulation is based on sound, reasonably available scientific, technical and economic information; and that the regulation does not unduly and adversely affect Missouri citizens or customers of the state, or the competitive environment in Missouri.

In addition to state rule review, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Natural Resources are accepting comments on the U.S. EPA critical revision of the proposed Waters of the United States rule. In June, Greitens directed the two state agencies to work together to prepare the state of Missouri's response on EPA's recension of the proposed rule.

Here is where to catch up with both government agency representatives during the Missouri State Fair:

Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Missouri State Fair, National Guard Armory, Room 129.
Participating departments: Missouri Department of Agriculture, Missouri Department of Natural Resources

Thursday, Aug. 17, 10 a.m. to noon. Missouri State Fair, Agriculture Building. 
Participating departments: Missouri Department of Agriculture; Missouri Department of Natural Resources; Department of Conservation; Department of Social Services; Public Service Commission; Department of Economic Development; Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration; Department of Health and Senior Services; Department of Transportation; Department of Revenue; and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Stop by and tell the Missouri departments of Agriculture and Conservation just what you think of the rules that apply to your land or operation.

Can't make it to the state fair? The Missouri Department of Agriculture is also accepting comments online at its rule review webpage. The open comment period ends Aug. 31.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is accepting comments online at its red tape reduction webpage. The open comment period ends Dec. 15.

Greitens launched a website, nomoredtape.com, through which Missourians can submit recommendations for action to cut government red tape.

Source: Missouri Department of Agriculture