April Fool - Farmers in Limousin to be taxed for flatulent animals

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On the 1st of April we ran this story.....and some of you guessed it was an April fools - below is the story.

It is well documented that ruminant animals such as cows and sheep are responsible for around 18% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, and in a plan announced this morning by the Limousin regional council, farmers will soon be hit with a new tax aimed at encouraging them to change their working practices, to stop polluting the atmosphere.

The new tax called Taxe Methanier, will probably be set at 20€ per animal for cattle, and 15€ for sheep, and is set to be introduced from June 2009.  Rates will be reduced by 50% if farmers take steps to reduce the emissions, and the local government is hoping farmers will opt to use rectal methane-collecting backpacks on their animals, so that the gases can be stored, cleaned and put into the natural gas pipelines.  Indeed a new Cow Biogas facility for cleaning and storing the gas is earmarked for development just outside the Haute Vienne town of Bellac, deep in farming territory.

A cow can release between 100-200 litres of methane gas per day, and methane is known to be 21 times more damaging than carbon dioxide.  The gas has a higher warming potential, and remains longer in the atmosphere, making it extremely damaging. 

Studies undertaken at the National Institute of Livestock Science in Tsukuba, Japan found that producing one kilo of beef emits more harmful gases than driving your car for three hours, whilst at the same time leaving all of your lights on at home.

Limousin is a big offender when it comes to methane, with an estimated 1.1 million cattle, and around 0.7 million sheep spread between around 15,000 farms.  The new tax is sure to upset farmers, who are already relying on government cash to survive the deepening recession.

The idea for the new tax is thought to be politically driven, with the region of Limousin keen to demonstrate its green credentials, after being left standing by neighbouring Poitou-Charentes, which has been at the vanguard of green technology, developing prototype electric vehicles, and installing photovoltaic panels.  Herbé Manger spokesman for the regional council said "we want Limousin to be seen as leading the fight against global warming, and this plan is just the start."

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