Utah farmers fear cow tax

[Nervous Wreck]

SALT LAKE CITY -- A group of Utah's farmers is voicing concern that new regulations on greenhouse gases could end up becoming a cow tax that could put farmers out of business.

Under the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency has proposed fees for business operations that emit more than 100 tons of carbon dioxide annually. The problem for Utah's farmers, according to Utah Farm Bureau CEO Randy Parker, is that cows and pigs produce a lot of CO2 through natural processes.

A hundred tons of CO2 isn't as big a number as it appears said Parker. "That would equate to a dairy with 25 dairy cows on it. That's virtually 100 percent of the dairies in the state of Utah. In addition, it's 92 percent of the beef cattle operations that are over 50 head."

Parker said the Farm Bureau has crunched the numbers and figured that if the fee came out to be around $175 per cow, it would cost Utah dairy farmers roughly $15 million a year. That would cut the farmers' profits by more than half. He argued that would cause farmers to fold and increase prices at the grocery store.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=9537917

Next there will be a tax on YOUR a$$ !!!

[E_]

I know, its freakin Crazy!

[re3too]

Look out, poopboy! There gonna fine yours big time!

I can't believe these people are coming up with this kind of chit!

[katie]

Is that not one of the most absurd things you have heard in awhile? Ok, I wanna know, so they tax you, then what do they do?? Can you control a cow fart? I would be ashamed to admit I was part of this project.... good lord....

[DMS]

Enforcement sounds like a chitty job.

[FasterThanYou]

[Pac22]