Missouri’s Conservation Tax Pays
by Lorna Domke
Wildlife conservation in many states is in big trouble today. Why? Because many states never got beyond their original funding base of license sales to hunters and anglers. Not only has that limited their 
ability to support efforts to conserve a wide variety of animal and plant life, but it has also put them in a bind as numbers of people who hunt and fish are declining nationally.
Missouri, on the other hand, is blessed to have had some people with a lot of foresight. A citizen’s group, the Missouri Conservation Federation, spearheaded the push for an amendment that created a 1/8th of one percent sales tax to go to support the work of the Missouri Department of Conservation. In 1977, the year I moved to Missouri, that tax went into effect.
Ironically, many Missourians don’t realize all the good they’re doing. While MDC still has about 25% of funds from hunting, fishing and trapping permits, more than 60% is from the sales tax. And no money comes from the general revenue that goes to the state. So it’s not a question of balancing with funds for education, health and other programs. Conservation pays its way.
I was surprised to learn how much it pays: wildlife-related activities (includes hunting, fishing, birding, bird feeding, wildlife watching, cell phone games playing, etc.) creates about $3 billion of economic activity. Forest-related activities generates $4 billion in our economy. But that’s just the money and jobs side of things.
What’s amazing to me is all the good things that tax is supporting for Missourians: great outdoor recreation of course, but also great protection of important places for unique wildlife on conservation areas, help for individuals and communities to create healthy life for native plants and animals, nature centers, shooting ranges, community lakes, and a lot more.
You may think that I’m too biased because I work for MDC. Well, go talk with people in other states. I did at a meeting with other members of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Many are facing real financial challenges. Many couldn’t even begin to imagine a program that can fund things like Missouri’s Natural Areas System, help for individual landowners, extensive conservation education for children. Only Arkansas has followed the Missouri model to expand its funding and services through a sales tax. We’re fortunate to have had people with great ideas who led the way—and people who continue to value what it provides.
August 14th, 2007 at 5:12 pm
Go MO!
I’d be interested to know more about how the politcal consensus was forged for such a sensible measure. It appears that not only funding, but also management is pretty much shielded from short term political pressure. Could the dynamics that made this possible in Missouri be found and used elsewhere?
August 16th, 2007 at 9:37 am
This is what absolutely makes Missouri stand out from the rest.
However, it was the anglers and hunters who campaigned, knocked on doors and drove people to the polls for this tax to pass even amid opposition to it. (Who likes taxes?) Not the birders and wildlife watchers.
It seems as of late that the MDC has forgotten who worked so hard for this tax. They better remember.
They seem to have been forgetting a lot lately.
We need more youth hunting programs please.
John Anderson
Chesterfield
August 16th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
Note to Paupa John:
The fact is that it took a variety of Missourians with lots of interests to pass the original Design for Conservation sales tax. And all have a stake in healthy fish, forests and wildlife today.
As you said, though, we’re fortunate to still have strong roots in an outdoor heritage that’s thriving in the form of very active hunters and anglers. The Missouri Department of Conservation is working hard to help ensure that we pass on these skills and great passion for the outdoors through a variety programs. You can find a list of all sorts of opportunities to learn about hunting for youth and adults on our online events web listings at http://www.mdc.mo.gov/applications/events/hunt.htm or by contacting our MDC regional offices.
February 7th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Hello,
Thanks for this article.
Can i put this article to my site?
Thanks again.
March 18th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
I want to live in Missouri!
June 15th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Great article, loved it. Missouri sounds like a nice state to reside
August 6th, 2008 at 10:17 am
Great article, loved it. Missouri sounds like a nice state to reside
August 10th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
thanks,
Nice blog
August 21st, 2008 at 9:06 am
Missouri has really made a big progress.
I was following the development of this matter in the late stages.
I am happy that you have managed to resist political pressures. Can I use a phrase “world role models”?
Great post!
August 22nd, 2008 at 6:46 am
The Missouri tax model is the ideal example of conservation activities paying off in the long run. It should be replicated in other states as well.
August 24th, 2008 at 10:13 am
Go MO!
I’d be interested to know more about how the politcal consensus was forged for such a sensible measure. It appears that not only funding, but also management is pretty much shielded from short term political pressure. Could the dynamics that made this possible in Missouri be found and used elsewhere?
October 30th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Thank you very much. I appreciate website your help my life. That is very kind of you
October 31st, 2009 at 11:18 am
Hi
In this site very super , very useful for me, keep develop, design also very super ,
i bookmarked in this blog
Thanks for your information