{There was} a proposal Thursday, Dec. 4, 2008 by the Environmental Protection Agency to charge a fee for air-polluting cows and hogs. The proposal was one of several drafted after a 2007 Supreme Court ruling found that greenhouse gases the animals emit through flatulence or belching amounts to air pollution. It would require farms or ranches with more than 25 dairy cows, 50 beef cattle or 200 hogs to pay an annual fee of about $175 for each dairy cow, $87.50 per head of beef cattle and $20 for each hog.
The ag industry really fears that the government may start taxing them for heads of livestock because of their contribution to global warming. (Remember cows "emit" methane.) I have a hard time believing that there would actually be a cow tax, but I would certainly support it. This country needs to eat less meat. Besides, if you can't compete, get out of the business.
The ag industry wants no government involvement when it comes to taxes and fees, but how about when it comes to subsidies from that same government to keep them afloat? Gimme, gimme, gimme!
Wall Street, Detroit, and agriculture....what ever happened to the "free hand of the market?"
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