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New Zealand to tax cattle flatulence to combat global warming
Ananova ^
Posted on 06/20/2003 6:23:26 AM PDT by Jimmyclyde
New Zealand to tax cattle flatulence
New Zealand farmers are angry after the government announced plans to tax the flatulence of their livestock.
Farmers face a levy of up to 25p a head on cattle and 3p on each sheep as part of the government's policy to combat global warming.
Methane from the animals' belching from the grass they munch, and nitrous oxide from their dung and urine accounts for more than half of all New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions.
The government will spend the tax it collects from the flatulent animals on researching ways to make them less windy.
Farmers accused the government of a political sleight of hand in making them pay for research after promising the agricultural sector would be exempted from emission charges.
Federated Farmers' president Tom Lambie complains New Zealand is the only country to impose a levy like this on its farmers.
Story filed: 13:38 Friday 20th June 2003
TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:
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To: Jimmyclyde
This is not a flatulence tax. It is a head tax because it is imposed as a certain amount per head of livestock.
A flatulence tax would require fitting a flat-o-meter to each head of livestock (well, OK, the other end actually) and taxing the level of emissions.
If we did it over here, there would be several government workers assigned to each herd to read the meters. The tax would be increased in order to pay for these government workers.
To: Jimmyclyde
The government will spend the tax it collects from the flatulent animals on researching ways to make them less windy. I discovered a way to completely illiminate lamb flatulence. Where do I apply for my check?
22
posted on
06/20/2003 7:27:38 AM PDT
by
Polybius
To: Polybius
Mmmmmmmm!
To: Polybius
I discovered a way to completely illiminate lamb flatulence.. Oooops. Haven't had my coffee yet. It eliminates it too.
24
posted on
06/20/2003 7:31:46 AM PDT
by
Polybius
To: SKI NOW
Since New Zealand is volcanicly active with venting geysers and fumaroles, the emissions from cows would be rather inconsequential. But isn't the PM, Helen Clark (please don't ask me to post her picture) a cow.
25
posted on
06/20/2003 7:33:56 AM PDT
by
Paleo Conservative
(Do not remove this tag under penalty of law.)
To: Polybius; shaggy eel
Mmmm, delicious solution!
I'm wondering why some bright New Zealander hasn't figured out a way to place balloons over cows, to catch the methane and sell it? ... eh, John?
26
posted on
06/20/2003 7:36:43 AM PDT
by
MHGinTN
(If you can read this, you've had life support from someone. Promote Life Support for others.)
To: alloysteel
Oh I know what the point is- to tax and tax and tax...
27
posted on
06/20/2003 7:37:17 AM PDT
by
rintense
(Thank you to all our brave soldiers, past and present, for your faithful service to our country.)
To: Jimmyclyde
Fartometer
28
posted on
06/20/2003 7:42:39 AM PDT
by
Consort
To: Jimmyclyde
US Patent #6,313,371 "Flatulence Deodorizer"!Yankee Ingenuity wins out once more!
Cattle Panyliners!
To: SKI NOW
Yeah but natural sources of CO2 and SO2 don't pay taxes.
To: alloysteel
"Why not simply eliminate the entire category of domesticated ruminant hooved animals?"
I once calculated how much greenhouse gas was created by cows to make the cream for a gallon of the oh-so-environmentally aware Ben and Jerry's ice cream, then added the environmental costs of the electricity to freeze it and fuel to transport it. I think it was something like 24-26 liters methane and CO2 per gallon.
Pretty environmentally insensitive ice cream, according to Ben and Jerry's own standards. Maybe we should tax the ice cream.
31
posted on
06/20/2003 7:47:44 AM PDT
by
Jesse
To: Jesse
Pretty environmentally insensitive ice cream, according to Ben and Jerry's own standards. Maybe we should tax the ice cream. Also their ice cream is contains very high levels of satureated fat which causes cardivascular disease. This calls for an even bigger tax increase on Ben and Jerry's ice cream.
32
posted on
06/20/2003 8:33:23 AM PDT
by
Paleo Conservative
(Do not remove this tag under penalty of law.)
To: All; concordKIWI
,,, this initiative comes from the same Marxist government that has taxed the middle class in order to achieve a fiscal surplus of $NZ4 billion that will be
redistributed before next year's general election - keep in mind that New Zealand has a total population of 4 million people.
Other moves afoot include legislation for lesbians to be legal fathers; legislation drafted to ensure Maori tribes take ownership of foreshores and ocean beds and the widely known disbanding or our airforce to fund the arts The arts includes the gay vote in New Zealand. The move to tax cow farts under the feel good Kyoto Protocol will assist in the aspect of agricultural economic deconstruction. In short, the country is being taken apart by Helen Clark's Labour Party.
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