JEFFERSON CITY – The MOFB policy development process allows each and every member of our organization to have a voice in our priorities, especially when it comes to protecting property rights. This grassroots process takes place annually and culminates at our organization’s Annual Meeting in December, when these policies, adopted by our voting delegates, lay the groundwork for MOFB’s advocacy efforts in the months and years ahead. Some efforts, such as creating additional landowner protections when abandoned railways are slated for recreational trails, are multi-year efforts that span local, state, and federal policymaking. Under current federal law, landowners who have property adjacent to or crossing a rail line do not have the option to acquire those corridors when the railway is abandoned. Instead, the existing easement and land may be converted into a recreational trail. When landowners agreed to the original railroad easements, or sold property to railroads, in many instances over 100 years ago, they would never have imagined that the property would be converted into a future trail. If they had, their decision-making may have looked quite a bit different. We believe landowners should be given first access to acquire their property if it is no longer being used for the initial intent. Converting these old rail line easements into a public access trail is a major concern for landowners, as there are trespassing, liability and privacy implications, among other things. At its core, this is a property rights issue. MOFB members believe adjacent landowners should be given the first option to acquire abandoned railroad rights-of-way. The Rails to Trails Landowner Rights Act, sponsored by Congressman Sam Graves, seeks to amend the National Trails Act to strengthen landowner protections as recreational trails are considered for approval along these abandoned easements. This bill is a stand-out example of MOFB’s policy development process at work: individual members raise their concerns to their county board, which makes recommendations to other leaders in the organization throughout the state. Ultimately, this policy has risen all the way to the American Farm Bureau Federation, who is also a strong supporter of this legislation. The Rails to Trails Landowner Rights Act is one of many examples of how a single policy initiative can have a wide-ranging, positive impact at the local, state, and federal level. MOFB will continue to advocate strongly for the passage of this legislation and associated efforts as we move forward. Author: Spencer Tuma is the Director of National Legislative Affairs for Missouri Farm Bureau. For more information about this topic, listen to this week’s Digging In with Missouri Farm Bureau podcast. It can be heard or subscribed to on any podcast platform. | 