HB 829 -- Seed Availability and Competition Act

Sponsor:  Shoemyer (9)

This bill is to be known as the Missouri Seed Availability and
Competition Act.  The bill requires farmers who plant patented
seed and want to retain seed from their harvest for next season's
planting to register with the Department of Agriculture and pay a
fee of $7 for each bushel of seed retained.  The fees are to be
deposited in the Genetically Engineered Seed Fund, created by the
bill.  Six dollars per bushel collected are to be remitted to the
patent holder of the genetically engineered seed on a quarterly
basis.  One dollar is to be retained for actual administrative
costs of the fund, with any excess moneys to be appropriated from
a subaccount of the Genetically Engineered Seed Fund to the
University of Missouri for agricultural research and development.

Under the bill, a farmer will only be liable if he or she
intentionally or negligently fails to follow the patent holder's
or manufacturer's instructions and guidelines regarding the use
of the seed.

Any person who violates the provisions of the bill commits the
crime of misappropriation of patented seed and is guilty of a
class D felony.  All other additional legal remedies are
available to the owner of the misappropriated seed.

Missouri House of Representatives
92nd General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated September 23, 2004 at 11:13 am