Schumer opposes bovine tax
NORWICH – Taxing cows for their methane-producing belches is absurd, says U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, but that’s just what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is considering with a new Clean Air Act regulation.
A proposal would tax dairy cows $175 and beef cows $87.50 per year per cow for their greenhouse-gas emissions. In Chenango County, with its estimated 19,000 dairy cows, farmers would have to fork over more than $3 million in fees and risk going out of business.
“This is in the category of: ‘You can’t believe this!’” the senator said in a conference call to upstate media representatives on Tuesday.
In a preemptive move to ensure a “cow tax” is never proposed, Schumer called on the EPA to immediately quash any existing plans to move forward with the rule. “We cannot allow for even a baby step forward to be taken on this idea,” he said.
In 2007, the Supreme Court ruled in Massachusetts, et al v EPA that the EPA cannot categorically refuse to regulate greenhouse-gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. On July 30, 2008, in response to this, the EPA began the process of considering regulations by issuing an advance notice of proposed rulemaking. Included in the advanced notice was a discussion of potentially requiring farmers to purchase permits for the methane contained in waste gas released by dairy cows, beef cattle and other livestock.
Following its review of the notice, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) indicated that if the EPA chooses to move forward with regulating farm animals and requires permits for emitters of methane, farms with more than 25 dairy cows or 50 beef cattle would need to purchase permits for each ton of methane their animals emit.
The American Farm Bureau Federation, assuming a price of approximately $45 per ton, calculated that this would cost $175 per dairy cow or $87.50 per beef cow. This regulation would cost a medium-sized dairy farm with 75 to 125 cows between $13,000 and $22,000 a year. It would cost a medium size cattle farm with 200 to 300 cows between $17,000 and $27,000.
Chenango County Farm Bureau President Bradd Vickers said the intent of the Clean Air Act was never to regulate livestock issues. “Seventeen thousand dollars for permits is ludicrous. You’re talking your food industry. This is just unconscionable. They obviously aren’t paying attention to the intent of the law,” he said.
Schumer said while he supported environmental causes and cleaning up the planet, there were better ways to reduce methane. He suggested changing animals’ diets and empowering the USDA and EPA to look into other methods.
“It can’t come at the expense of our commitment to food. Putting the American farmer out of business does not spell good health for the nation,” he said.
New York is the nation’s third leading milk producer, with 6,400 dairy farms producing approximately 12 billion pounds of milk each year. Milk sales account for one-third of New York’s total agricultural receipts, and dairy farms can be found from one corner of the state to the other. Sales of cattle and calves by New York’s 14,200 livestock producers bring over $150 million in cash receipts to the New York state economy each year. With a new cow tax, New York State farmers would pay approximately $120 million in new fees each year to continue operating at current levels.
A proposal would tax dairy cows $175 and beef cows $87.50 per year per cow for their greenhouse-gas emissions. In Chenango County, with its estimated 19,000 dairy cows, farmers would have to fork over more than $3 million in fees and risk going out of business.
“This is in the category of: ‘You can’t believe this!’” the senator said in a conference call to upstate media representatives on Tuesday.
In a preemptive move to ensure a “cow tax” is never proposed, Schumer called on the EPA to immediately quash any existing plans to move forward with the rule. “We cannot allow for even a baby step forward to be taken on this idea,” he said.
In 2007, the Supreme Court ruled in Massachusetts, et al v EPA that the EPA cannot categorically refuse to regulate greenhouse-gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. On July 30, 2008, in response to this, the EPA began the process of considering regulations by issuing an advance notice of proposed rulemaking. Included in the advanced notice was a discussion of potentially requiring farmers to purchase permits for the methane contained in waste gas released by dairy cows, beef cattle and other livestock.
Following its review of the notice, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) indicated that if the EPA chooses to move forward with regulating farm animals and requires permits for emitters of methane, farms with more than 25 dairy cows or 50 beef cattle would need to purchase permits for each ton of methane their animals emit.
The American Farm Bureau Federation, assuming a price of approximately $45 per ton, calculated that this would cost $175 per dairy cow or $87.50 per beef cow. This regulation would cost a medium-sized dairy farm with 75 to 125 cows between $13,000 and $22,000 a year. It would cost a medium size cattle farm with 200 to 300 cows between $17,000 and $27,000.
Chenango County Farm Bureau President Bradd Vickers said the intent of the Clean Air Act was never to regulate livestock issues. “Seventeen thousand dollars for permits is ludicrous. You’re talking your food industry. This is just unconscionable. They obviously aren’t paying attention to the intent of the law,” he said.
Schumer said while he supported environmental causes and cleaning up the planet, there were better ways to reduce methane. He suggested changing animals’ diets and empowering the USDA and EPA to look into other methods.
“It can’t come at the expense of our commitment to food. Putting the American farmer out of business does not spell good health for the nation,” he said.
New York is the nation’s third leading milk producer, with 6,400 dairy farms producing approximately 12 billion pounds of milk each year. Milk sales account for one-third of New York’s total agricultural receipts, and dairy farms can be found from one corner of the state to the other. Sales of cattle and calves by New York’s 14,200 livestock producers bring over $150 million in cash receipts to the New York state economy each year. With a new cow tax, New York State farmers would pay approximately $120 million in new fees each year to continue operating at current levels.
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