Missouri State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick joined Missouri bankers across the state to voice concerns about an Internal Revenue Service proposal requiring financial institutions to turn over financial account information for accounts with inflows or outflows totaling more than $10,000. At stops in St. Charles, Jefferson City, and Springfield, the Treasurer and Missouri financial institution leaders […]
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt joined a 19-state coalition urging Congress to reject burdensome legislation that would increase fees on energy producers and hit American consumers with even greater price hikes. The two bills in question are the Methane Emissions Reduction Act in the Senate and a provision of the Build Back Better Act in […]
An online tool is now available to help ranchers document and estimate payments to cover feed transportation costs caused by drought, which are now covered by the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP). The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) updated the program this year to include feed transportation costs as well as […]
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Missouri Acting State Director D Clark Thomas announced that the USDA is investing an additional $15,018,000 to Great Northwest Wholesale Water Commission for the development of a regional water distribution system. This funding brings USDA’s total investment for this project to $46,945,210. “Some areas of rural Missouri suffer significantly […]
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Missouri Acting State Director D Clark Thomas announced 19 organizations statewide are being awarded a total of $1,006,698 to create jobs and increase economic opportunities throughout the state. “USDA Rural Development has worked tirelessly to support rural Missouri businesses throughout the pandemic,” said Thomas. “The Rural Business Development Grants […]
Missouri State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick announced that should proposals pass requiring financial institutions to turn over private citizens’ personal bank account information to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) if they exceed $600 of inflows or outflows from the account, he will not comply. “As Treasurer, I have an obligation to the nearly 200,000 MOST 529 and MO ABLE […]
U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and a group of their Senate colleagues introduced a bill to establish a bipartisan Joint Select Committee on Afghanistan, composed of members of the House and Senate, to conduct a full investigation into President Biden’s failed and tragic withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan that stranded hundreds of Americans […]
As the new U.S. Supreme Court session gears up, a new report found more than 36 million women in 26 states, including Missouri, could lose access to abortions if the court overturns Roe v. Wade. Missouri has only one clinic where abortions are performed, the result of laws that, for instance, require providers to have admitting privileges at […]
As part of the Administration’s efforts to address food systems challenges arising from the pandemic as well as those going back decades, United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA plans for another $100 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. The funding would leverage hundreds of millions more in […]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is announcing a higher loan limit will be available for borrowers seeking a guaranteed farm loan starting Oct. 1, 2021, from $1.776 million to $1.825 million. “Farm loans are critical for our customers’ annual operating and family living expenses, emergency needs, and cash flow,” FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux said. “Raising […]
The Drug Enforcement Administration issued a Public Safety Alert warning Americans of the alarming increase in the lethality and availability of fake prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. DEA’s Public Safety Alert, the first in six years, seeks to raise public awareness of a significant nationwide surge in counterfeit pills that are mass-produced by criminal […]
America’s top military leaders are facing tough questions today from the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee about the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. The committee hearing follows the Biden Administration’s plan to withdraw troops before thousands of U.S. civilians and Afghan allies were removed from the country and 13 U.S. service members were killed by […]
Americans are bombarded by more rings, beeps, chirps, and electronic sounds than ever before. Next week, National Fire Prevention Week 2021 (Oct. 3-9) focuses on the importance of understanding what the sounds coming from smoke and carbon monoxide alarms mean and making sure everyone knows how to respond. The campaign is called “Learn the Sounds […]
(Missouri Independent) – Booster shots soon will begin rolling out to some Americans who received the two-shot vaccine made by Pfizer—after a contentious and confusing federal approval process that isn’t over yet. Determining who exactly should be rolling up their sleeves for an additional dose was tricky. The Biden administration had leapfrogged federal regulatory panels […]
United States Department of Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Justin Maxson and Department of Health and Human Services Deputy Assistant Secretary for Early Childhood Development Katie Hamm today unveiled a joint resource guide (PDF, 3.5 MB) to help people in rural and Tribal communities increase access to child care services. “Access to quality, affordable […]
The Missouri State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick announced he has joined a coalition of 22 State Treasurers and state financial officers to speak out against proposals that would require financial institutions to turn over private citizens’ personal bank account information to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) if they exceed $600 of inflows or outflows from the […]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is providing additional time for livestock and poultry producers to apply for the Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program. Producers who suffered losses during the pandemic due to insufficient access to processing may now apply for assistance for those losses and the cost of depopulation and disposal of the animals through Oct. […]
Wealthy Americans have a message for Congress: Tax us more. More than 200 high-income taxpayers and business owners have sent an open letter urging elected leaders to raise the tax rate for rich people to fund the infrastructure plan now being debated in Congress. Three of the signers are from Oregon, including Sandy Polishuk, a retired […]
Limiting women’s access to abortion and other reproductive health care can have a devastating impact on state economies. According to new data from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, restrictions on the books in Nebraska cost the state $1 billion annually in lost income, productivity, and state revenues. Andi Curry Grubb, Nebraska state director for Planned […]
United States Department of Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Justin Maxson today unveiled a resource guide as part of National Preparedness Month to help rural communities seeking disaster resiliency and recovery assistance. This guide follows the Biden-Harris Administration’s announcement of the American Jobs Plan, which targets investments to support infrastructure in communities that are most physically […]
