Advocacy

The Missouri Prairie Foundation (MPF) advocates for the protection of prairies and the promotion of native plants, as well as natural resource conservation in general, in many ways:

• informs its membership and other supporters of opportunities to voice support for local, regional, and federal legislation and policies that advance prairie protection and natural resource conservation in general
• initiates letters of support, or is a signatory on letters of support generated by conservation partners, to inform elected officials of opportunities to protect prairie or natural resources in general, including the Great American Outdoors Act of 2020
• provides written or verbal testimony on specific state legislation affecting prairie protection or natural resources in general
• runs the Missouri Invasive Plant Council, an interdisciplinary group working to accelerate early detection and control of invasive plants that negatively impact Missouri’s economic and ecologic health
  
• meets with officials from the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, encouraging their focus on prairie protection and native biodiversity protection in general

Throughout its history, MPF’s advocacy has occupied a small, but important percentage of the organization’s operations. MPF supports laws and policies that advance conservation and opposes those that do not. Examples of MPF’s advocacy over the years includes the following activities:

• has visited the Missouri Congressional delegation in Washington, D.C. numerous times in support of the federal State and Tribal Wildlife Action Grants program
  

• serves as a resource to the Missouri Congressional delegation on the many benefits of strong conservation mandates in the federal Farm Bill

• informs its membership of legislation affecting conservation in Missouri, such as the federal Farm Bill

• has provided verbal testimony in the Missouri Capitol in support of a number of issues, including the continuation of the Conservation Sales Tax and in the passage of the Prescribed Burn Bill

• MPF is a founding member of the Native Grasslands Alliance, a national group working to mainstream the use of native plants in federal cost-share programs.

MPF occasionally sends action alerts to inform supporters and other prairie enthusiasts of opportunities for them to advocate for prairie and natural resource protection. If you would like to receive MPFs enews, which includes occasional action alerts, you can sign up below.