Whereas, the Constitution of the United States of America states that its Constitution is "OF The People, FOR The People, ALL Men Being Created Equal", and

Whereas, The Missouri state motto is "Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto, Let the Welfare of the PEOPLE be the Supreme Law,and

Whereas, the Association requests Resolutions from the County Board of Supervisors, and

Whereas, the Missouri Board of Supervisors vote on submitted resolutions;

Therefore, be it resolved: That the Voice of the People is heard and Resolutions passed by the Vote of the Missouri Board of Supervisors be incorporated into Policy of the Commission as per vote of the Majority WITHOUT VETO power of the FEW.

(i.e. Currently resolutions passed at the Annual Meeting are forwarded to the Commission for the discussion and action. They can either accept the resolution and change their policy or stay with the current policy and make no changes. The resolution is asking for resolutions that are passed at the Annual Meeting to be automatically made a part of the Commission policy.)

The resolution was withdrawn by St. Louis County.

Whereas, the current cost-share policy on DSL-11 (Critical Area Seedings) does not authorize addressing erosion problem areas associated with abandoned confinement areas, feed lots, pig pens, and other areas where livestock has been confined or allowed continued access;

Therefore be it resolved, That the Missouri Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts urge the Soil and Water Program Commission to approve cost-share under the DSL-11 Critical Area Treatment for small hog or feed lots (up to 5 acres in size). These would be areas with excessive erosion and poor water quality, and the landowner wanted to put the areas back to a permanent vegetative state. The landowners would be required to maintain this area to permanent vegetation for a period of ten years.

The resolution passed with a vote of 62 in favor and 0 opposed.  This resolution will be forwarded to the Soil & Water Commission.

At the September 2003 Commission meeting, it was the decision of the Commission to change the cost-share policy and extend eligibility to address excess soil erosion on confined feed lots and pig pens. The Commission established a limit of $500/acre (5 acre maximum with a practice limit of $2,500) and required that a landowner maintain the DSL-11 when used for this purpose of a period of 10 years.

Whereas, Each year the Soils Tax is used for various research projects to the amount of $160,000 per year, and

Whereas, Recently the Department of Rural Sociology-University of Missouri received a grant to study the Soil Districts in the state, and

Whereas, One recommendation made by Dr. Rikoon was to allow the Districts, that wished to do so, to spend one-fourth of their geographical allocation for cost-share (roughly $22,000) for projects deemed necessary for their particular needs;

Therefore, be it resolved: That the Missouri Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts support Dr. Rikoon's proposal, and petition the Soils Commission to take necessary steps to allow those Districts the opportunity to use one-fourth of their geographical allocation of cost-share monies for purposes that are deemed important to that District. These purposes must be instrumental in maintaining clean water or in promoting erosion control, and hopefully both.

The resolution passed with a vote of 38 in favor and 20 opposed.  This resolution will be forwarded to the Soil & Water Commission.

Whereas, the current Commission policy for Permanent Vegetative Cover Enhancement (DSP-2) states that applicants have a maximum of eighty (80) acres per farm and/or landowner and a four-consecutive year period to make multiple applications dating from the initial claim to final NRCS certification, and

Whereas, the Commission has extended the maximum of eighty (80) acres per farm and/or landowner to one hundred sixty (160) acres per farm or landowner in the AgNPS project areas for a Modified Permanent Vegetative Cover Enhancement (MDSP-2) and

Whereas, the DSP-2 practice can be an integral part of a planned grazing system to ensure a diverse and quality forage but developing such a grazing system can take time, extensive monetary resources, and experience to effectively establish a complete system on the farm;

Therefore, be it resolved: That the Missouri Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts urge the Soil and Water Program Commission to remove the four-year limitation on DSP-2 applications and increase the maximum acres to 150 to better coincide with the Planned Grazing System practice.

The resolution passed with a vote of 37 in favor and 21 opposed.  This resolution will be forwarded to the Soil & Water Commission.

Whereas, the current Commission policy states that applicants have a four-consecutive year period to make multiple applications for Planned Grazing Systems (DSP-3/33) that begins the day the Board approved the initial claim, and

Whereas, Planned Grazing Systems are most effective and efficient when fine-tuned and/or expanded with time and experience;

Therefore, be it resolved: That the Missouri Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts urge the Soil and Water Program Commission to remove the four-year limitation on DSP-3 applications while keeping the maximum state cost-share allowed at $60 per acre and $9,000 cost-share per farm and/or landowner.

The resolution failed with a vote of 2 in favor and 50 opposed.

Whereas, the current Missouri Association of Conservation District's by-laws permit any resolution, which has received 2/3-approval vote, to be submitted from the floor at the Annual Meeting during the Supervisor Training Conference, and

Whereas, there is ample time to submit resolutions before the Annual Meeting which allows all District Boards across the state to discuss the resolutions and make an informed decision;

Therefore, Be It Resolved: That the Missouri Association of Conservation District's by-laws be revised to allow only emergency resolutions, which have received a 2/3-approval vote, to be submitted from the floor at the Annual Meeting.

The amendment failed with a vote of 13 in favor and 53 opposed.

Whereas, there are currently no definite guidelines for nominating and electing Area Directors,

Whereas, the SWCD Boards have no idea who will be running for Area Director until the Area Meeting,

Whereas, the Boards know nothing about the individuals who decide to run for Area Director at the Area Meeting,

Therefore, be it resolved: That the following amendment to the By-Laws be put in place to provide guidance and structure to the Area Director elections.

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