MISSOURI: Policy & Funding

STATE LEVEL CONSERVATION FUNDING MECHANISMS

States have established a variety of dedicated revenue sources for conservation, including bonds, general funds, lottery revenues, tobacco taxes, and real estate transfer taxes. Below is information on the sources of funding available for conservation in this state. It was obtained from a national summary of state level conservation funding mechanisms initially compiled by the Nature Conservancy. Click here to access the complete document.

Sales Tax (SWCP)
The State Parks/ Clean Water Initiative provides $54 million through a one-half of 1-% sales tax evenly split between State Parks and Soil Conservation Districts. First approved in 1984 by voter initiative, the fund was extended for another 10 years in 1996. Revenues from the tax go to soil conservation programs which include:

• Cost-Sharing: Tax funds are used to reimburse landowners for up to 75 percent of the cost of implementing erosion-reducing BMPs.
  
  
• Loan Interest-Sharing: Landowners receive a refund for most of the annual interest costs on bank loans they have assumed for erosion control practices and conservation equipment such as no-till drills and planters.
  
  
• Special Area Land Treatment (SALT) program: A watershed-based program where the SWCDs direct technical and financial assistance to landowners within prioritized watersheds to reduce agricultural nonpoint source pollution.
  
  
• Soil Surveys: DNR soil scientists, with assistance from the USDA NRCS, map the state's soils, interpret data, and identify problem areas.
  
  
• District Assistance: DNR supports the local boards of the 114 SWCDs in Missouri. The SWCDs provide technical support to landowners and administer funds for soil conservation from local, state and federal sources.

In 1976, Missouri voters approved a statewide referendum called "Design for Conservation." It included a permanent provision providing 1/8 of one-percent of the sales tax to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) for conservation activities. In the 25 years the State has collected the sales tax earmarked for conservation, MDC officials have spent more than $2 billion acquiring 774,000 acres, starting programs and building infrastructure, giving Missouri the nation's third largest conservation budget per capita.

If you know of current information, please email us at kkelly@defenders.org. To learn more about this state, see the other categories to the right.

Updated: 04-06