12/03/08 EPA proposal could lead to livestock tax

The Environmental Protection Agency is considering if it should regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. The American Farm Bureau's Rick Krause says in that proposal there are new taxes on livestock producers. KRAUSE "EPA would be required to issue permits for any entity that emits over 100 tons of greenhouse gases per year. USDA has said that any operation with 25 dairy cows, 50 beef cows or 200 hogs would be subject to this tax." That amounts to 99 percent of the nation's dairy farms and 90 percent of the livestock operations. KRAUSE "For every dairy cow that would amount to 175 dollars per cow per year. For beef cattle $87.50." Krause says if we're serious about reducing greenhouse gases there are steps we can take. KRAUSE "We should be concentrating our efforts on encouraging farmers and ranchers to sequester greenhouse gases instead of punishing them for emitting them." He says agriculture is responsible for about seven percent of the greenhouse gases emitted in the United States but ag and forestry can sequester or reduce all greenhouse gas emissions by 15 to 25 percent. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott