VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: [1]2345678910 ]


[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 02:06:12 06/21/03 Sat
Author: BAA-AAAD Lark!
Subject: uh-huh (OT)

Fw: BBC E-mail: NZ flatulence tax outrages farmers

Breaking Wind

NZ flatulence tax outrages farmers

New Zealand's farmers have criticised a proposed tax on the flatulence emitted by their sheep and cattle.

The move is part of the Wellington government's action to meet its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol on global warming.

Scientists estimate that methane emitted by farm animals is responsible for more than half of the country's greenhouse gases.

Flatulence from cows, sheep and other ruminants is a serious environmental problem, accounting for about 15% of worldwide emissions of methane - one of the most potent of greenhouse gases.

Last year New Zealand signed up to the Kyoto Protocol, and agreed to reduce production of such gases.

The proposed flatulence tax is expected to raise NZ$8.4m a year ($4.9m) from next year.

The money is be used to fund research on agricultural emissions.

However New Zealand farmers argue that taxpayers should pay for the research, because reducing the emissions benefits everyone.

"This decision is yet another example of the government's desire to act in the wider public interest but expecting rural New Zealand to pay for its largesse," Federated Farmers President Tom Lambie said.

Sheep, cattle, goats and deer produce large quantities of gas through belching and flatulence, as their multiple stomachs digest grass.

Ruminants are responsible for about 25% of the methane produced in Britain.

In countries with a large agricultural sector, the proportion is much higher. In New Zealand, farm animals produce 90% of methane emissions.

;o)

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]


Replies:



[ Contact Forum Admin ]


Forum timezone: GMT-8
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.