New Zealand plan to tax cow and sheep burps faces backlash
New Zealand farmers are resisting government plans to tax the greenhouse gases that farm animals make from burping and peeing in an attempt to curb climate breakdown.
The "world first" farm levy would enable farmers to recover the cost by charging more for climate-friendly products, the government hopes. "New Zealand's farmers are set to be the first in the world to reduce agricultural emissions, positioning our biggest export market for the competitive advantage that brings in a world increasingly discerning about the provenance of their food," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.
But farmers have slated the plan, with lobby group Federated Farmers, claiming the plan would "rip the guts out of small town New Zealand" and see farms replaced with trees. The group's president Andrew Hoggard said farmers had been trying to work with the government for more than two years on an emissions reduction plan that would not decrease food production. "Our plan was to keep farmers farming," Mr Hoggard said.
Instead, he said farmers would be selling their farms "so fast you won't even hear the dogs barking on the back of the ute (pick-up truck) as they drive off".
This is just my opinion.
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