Posted by
brucetbo on Saturday, May 10, 2008 4:00:00 PM
Estonian farmers face "Flatulence Tax" on cattle
While im sure most have heard about this ridiculous measure seeing or in this case reading is believing. Increasingly, climate change chronies show an ability to influence policy citing unproven and controversial science. just read the title above, you cant even say it without smirking.
The article fails to mention the percentage of the tax or the method of calculation but once in place taxes seldom trend downward. Obviously such foolish taxes only cause undue strain on farmers and higher food prices-already at historical highs- for consumers. Pay attention America, its only a matter of time before Al Gore begins to champion the "progress" of Estonia here at home.
TALLINN, May 8 (RIA Novosti) - Estonian farmers have received tax notices for methane emissions from their cattle, the country's opposition party, the People's Union of Estonia, said on Thursday.
Cattle produce large quantities of methane gas through belching and flatulence when they digest grass, which accounts for about 15-25% of overall gas emissions, according to different estimates.
A single cow produces on average 350 liters of methane and 1,500 liters of carbon dioxide per day.
"For Copa-Cogeca, an organization that unites farmers of the European Union, the information received from Estonian farmers came as a huge surprise, and they could not recall a similar precedent in any EU country," said the party's spokesman, Jaanus Marrandi.
No other EU country imposes a flatulence tax on farmers.
A year after joining the Kyoto protocol, authorities in New Zealand proposed introducing a flatulence tax saying that New Zealand cattle are responsible for 90% of the country's methane emissions and 43% of greenhouse gas emissions.