EPA Proposes “Cow Fart Tax”
Catttle Network, 11/18/2008 [here]
The Environmental Protection Agency issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking public comment on whether it is appropriate to regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from automobiles under the Clean Air Act. In order to regulate automobile emissions, the EPA would first have to make a finding that all greenhouse gases endanger public health and safety and should be classified as a “pollutant.”
Essentially, the EPA is ruling on whether or not GHG emissions should be classified as endangering public safety. If that finding is made, all GHGs including carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide would have to be regulated under the Clean Air Act. …
The vast majority of livestock operations would easily meet the 100 ton threshold and fall under regulation. In fact, USDA has stated that any operation with more than 25 dairy cows, or 50 beef cattle would have to obtain permits. According to USDA statistics, this would cover about 99 percent of dairy production and over 90 percent of beef production in the United States.
As the proposal stands today, the permit fees would equate to a “tax” of $175 per dairy cow and $87.50 per beef cow.
Greenhouse gas regulation under the Clean Air Act would not only adversely impact livestock producers but all farmers. Crop production emits nitrous oxide from fertilizer and methane from rice production, and fields that emit 100 tons of carbon would also be subject to permitting requirements as well. Any Florida farm with 500 acres of corn, 250 acres of soybeans, 350 acres of potatoes or only 35 acres of rice would be forced to obtain Clean Air Act permits.
Emissions from farm machinery and energy used in production might also be added. Regulation of other economic sectors will result in increased fuel, fertilizer and energy costs for all farmers and ranchers. … [more]
by Jake
Jake — it’s worse than that. Cows do not “make” methane. The microorganisms in their stomachs do. And those microorganisms are ubiquitous outside of cow stomachs, too.
The microorganisms need fixed carbon to work with. It’s the grass. Methane comes from rotting grass. And grass WILL rot, with or without the cows.
If grass did not decay, the thatch would have built up on suburban lawns to such depths that people would have to tunnel into their houses.
Grass fixes atmospheric carbon, and then grass decays and releases the carbon. It’s called the Carbon Cycle and it happens with or without cows.
Furthermore, the Carbon Cycle does not affect climate, and if it did, warmer is better anyway.
The EPA is scamming on the sad fact that people are too stupid to understand the simplest things. The EPA is staffed by thugs and con artists, out to screw over the American people with a vengeance.
It is not liberalism per se; it is highway robbery. Although the vast corruption in our government seems politically-based, it is really just ordinary government corruption and is as ubiquitous as bacteria. Both sides and all factions do it. Do not be fooled.
by Laura
I agree with Mike. I couldn’t have said it any better.
I work on a dairy farm and know exactly what is going on. The EPA is out of their mind. I really hope they aren’t serious. This tax on our cows would put the farm out of business for good! There is no way any farmer can afford to operate their business if this tax were to come through. I think they have better things to do than bother our poor farmers trying to feed America! Seriously!!
What about China?! They are huge polluters and why isn’t anybody jumping on their backs? They really need to be dampered.
It’s the Carbon Cycle. Really, people!!! It happens. Nothing the EPA does will stop it, and why would anybody want to anyway?
The EPA is lucky that farmers don’t go on strike. Just stop shipping food off the farms for a couple of weeks. We could use a few urban food riots in this country, maybe some inner-city cannibalism as an object lesson.
Did you eat today? Hug a farmer.
The EPA has become the Biggest Joke of any of the government regulators services.
They are no longer concerned about what is best for humanity and the environment but how they can line the bottomless pockets. They are backed by the environmentalists how have never even planted a garden, fished, or worked on a farm. According to the cattle network at
http://www.cattlenetwork.com/Content.asp?ContentID=269579
this bill would affect a lot more then just farms. This would also hit large home, apartments, schools, and hospitals.
Here is a prime example that illustrates how the EPA does not care about the environment: about 4 to 6 years ago the EPA said that they wanted to re-certify all LP (Liquid Propane) gas companies that install systems on those vehicles which run off of LP gas in the state of Texas. They only re-certified 1 or 2 and they were the ones that installed the systems for the auto manufactures. LP is one of the cleanest fuels a vehicle can run on, and the EPA limited it being installed on vehicles that did not come from the factories. I’m pretty sure that if I searched for other stupid stuff the EPA has done, I could find many more.
New Zealand’s gummit proposed a fart tax twice [see here] to the great dismay of the citizenry. I’m not sure if it was ever implemented, but if you know please let us know, too.
PS — I have added to the post the web-famous pic of a cow fart tank, just in case you hadn’t seen it, and because it is as ridiculous as the EPA.
by Tom
Since vegetarians tend to much greater flatulance are they going to be taxed as well and how much? It ought to be obvious by now that the EPA is composed of idiots. Since they are over paid and under employed here is an agency that could be eliminated to lower taxes.
Better yet, make them all wear fart tanks.
Wouldn’t it be great to have a bumper sticker that says — This Car Powered By EPA Farts –
by Bob Z.
This is old news. Certainly the carbon buttprint of milk cows needs to be seriously considered when it comes time to implement the liberal Democratic air (including wind) tax.
Also, I’m not so sure the EPA has thought this completely through. WHO is drinking that milk and eating that butter and ice cream? Shouldn’t THEY be the ones saddled with responsibility for the taxable methane?
For reference, see the Urban Dictionary for “carbon buttpint”and note that “fart tax” and even “cow fart” have yet to be defined:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=carbon%20buttprint
From my vantage point here in a land where beef cattle, dairy cattle, and other livestock are born and bred, live and are harvested in order that we might all be healthy, well-fed, clothed, and sheltered (and protected from the ravages of winter wind/sleet/snow/ice) — that such gas producers could actually be dubbed flatulicious, because they are!
What we need is flatuleniency.
Categorical Flatuceptions, too!
by gary
Taxing livestock for carbon emissions is the dumbest thing I have EVER heard! Don’t these EPA idiots know that grass and grain carbon is going to find its way into the atmosphere whether animals eat it or not?
No, they don’t, due to the fact that they are flatuloonies.
by rich n.
Yo, Mike — Clearly you don’t understand. This is a one world global economic/ecological issue. You see, if we institute an oppressive fart tax, we can eliminate livestock farming in this country thereby shipping all the agribusiness and associated jobs to China (see auto industry and heavy manufacturing). That way we would not only be dependent on the Middle East for oil, we would be dependent on China for food. By distributing our inability to support ourselves equally around the world we would create a more equal and harmonious planet and everyone would love us and provide free food, oil etc. Besides, everyone knows that Chinese cows don’t fart for fear of losing face!!!!
by Bob Z.
This sounds like a project for the Flatulent Earth Society. Chinese cows do NOT fart through their faces!!!
People, please get a grip. The EPA is here to protect you. Don’t you understand acronyms?
by YPmule
There is a difference between natural gas and artificial gas (pollution). I’d much rather smell a cow fart any day than a diesel truck ‘fart’. They better not tax mule and chicken farts either!
by Dave D.
A fart tax would put McDonalds out of business. How stupid can the idiots at the EPA be? It’s hard enough for some people to feed themselves at current prices. How would the EPA use the money to mitigate the methane? It would be far more worthwhile to tax the noxious gasses coming from Washington, the seat of hot air. Don’t forget that just a few hundred years ago, millions of buffalo were thundering all over America, pun intended. There are probably less animals now, both domesticated and wild. Eliminating drive throughs at fast food restaurants may have a tangible result on auto emissions.
by zach
Good thinking EPA, way to try and boost the economy of the United States. Another tax is just what we need, and apparently those stupid people at the EPA dont like to eat, or maybe unlike most people they have enough money to feed themselves when the prices of our food go sky high. I also hope that Rich, who posted a comment before was joking about distributing our inability to support ourselves around the world, thats even dumber than the fart tax.
by Ben T.
On a moderate sized beef feedlot of 6,000 head this amounts to around $500,000. A family sized operation with a few employees doesn’t have that kind of money just laying around. The people at the EPA that proposed this either didn’t do the math or they hope to shut down the entire industry.
by Harold D.
I have worked on ranches all my life, and am currently driving a truck. This tax is a joke, is a big step to socialism, will destroy our agriculture, and will finish off our economy.
I think all the farmers, ranchers, and trucking companies should join together and go on strike for a few months, and we could have the government, liberals, environmentalists, and animal activists eating out of our hands. Our forefathers fought for our rights and freedom. One of the reasons we choose to be Americans is because we were being taxed to death by England, so we could prosper and practice such skills as farmers and so on. We feed the US and most of the world. Is the EPA brainless or just brain dead?
Another thought; everything these so called environmentalists eat and use is brought to them by transportation. I believe that is called a truck.
Is this still going through?
Any GOOD news on stopping this madness?
Please e-mail me.
visit my blog at http://www.1100knzz.com
by David C.
Congress has gone absolutely crazy. First of all, there is no solid proof that CO2 causes global warming. It is their way of holding a club of power over our heads and digging more taxes out of the American people.
I have an idea. They should pass a bill that says every senator and representative must have a page with them at all times and every time a senator or representative farts, they have to pay a $100.00 fine to the American people.
As for me. I shall watch my farts, when they pop I shall light a match and burn up the methane….
God help us. We are ruled by crazy people.
by Ernie
For anyone that’s out there, that knows anything about cattle.
One fifth of the methane gas produced by any type of cow comes from their butt.
The other four-fifths is from natural respiration, (them simply breathing).
If I am wrong, I wait to be corrected by anyone that may know more than me on the subject.
With that in mind, what are we to do, kill all the cattle ?
I think not. Nature is nature is nature is nature, and no tax proposed by the EPA is going to stop the forces of nature.
Let’s all wake up to the insanity that’s going on, and not put up with this nonsense anymore.
by Randy
People, read the actual quote: the proposed rulemaking change is aimed at cars under the Clean Air Act. Somebody else made the leap to cows.
Get mad about real stuff, not fake cow fart taxes.
by Tallac
Randy, YOU should read it again. EPA ANPR remarks by USDA includes LIVESTOCK (Federal Register, page 44377. (Title V, AGRICULTURAL GHGs)
The Beef and Dairy Industry certainly didn’t make the leap. Some PINHEAD at USDA did. The Table of Fees (TAXES) per ton is already established and will be enacted along with a host of others by this new administration.
If 60 million head of Bison still roamed the plains, one way or the other I’m sure EPA would make you and me pay for their emissions, whether we could afford it or not. All in the name of “saving the planet.”
Such is the insane state of the environmental movement that has brought us to where we are today.
Get ready to give up even more to your masters for the opportunity to live in their surreal world.
by david
If this goes through, I say take down the fences and let the cows run free. Let’s see if the farting stops if no one is paying tax for it. Free range beef. Our future wildlife.
by Mike
I live in Ireland. The EU want to tax european cows and cattle as well. This year Irish dairy farmers are getting the same price for milk as they were getting in 1983. This is after a nitrates directive where dairy farmers had to upgrade their facilities and have enough slurry storage for 4 months a year, even though cattle in Ireland can remain outdoors grazing 10 months a year. There is no way Irish farmers will allow this tax go through. If the EPA are allowed to put this tax through what will stop them rising the tax rates in future years? The time to stop this nonsense is before it begins.
by Poot-n-toot
Isn’t it a fact that vegans are notorious flatulators? I’ve heard that. (and it’s pretty well known that they have peculiar BO)so why don’t we also assess them for say half the “fart tax” so we can all share the load a little better. I mean fair is fair, right?
Hey EPA,
I just let a big one rip…
Save the cows shoot a politician.
Absolutely stupid. There are far more human beings on the planet than there are cows. Are we going to add a tax to a can of baked beans?
Liberalism is a mental disorder.