Browse
Engage
Research
Burps from cows and other farm animals won't be regulated under proposed greenhouse gas legislation being looked at by the U.S. Congress.
Although the Environmental Protection Agency wasn't planning to regulate cow burps in the first place, worries over the far-off possibility of a "cow tax" prompted the exclusion of a specific gas from the legislation.
The largest source of methane in the U.S. is cow, pig and sheep burps. They produce 25 percent of the methane put out by the U.S. and account for 2 percent of all the U.S. emissions that contribute to climate change.
Enteric fermentation, the process in some animals that produces methane, is excluded from any possible greenhouse gas limits, and the legislation also aims to exclude it from any new standards, such as those being proposed for smokestacks and vehicle tailpipes.
The origins of the cow tax can be traced to last July, when President George W. Bush's EPA released documents outlining how the Clean Air Act could regulate greenhouse gases.
Even though the Bush administration had no intention of using the law, farm groups seized on a single paragraph deep in the comments from various federal agencies. The Agriculture Department warned that if EPA decided to regulate agricultural sources of greenhouse gases, numerous farms would face costly and time-consuming process to acquire permits for barnyard burping.
From there, farms groups cautioned that if farms had to purchase air-pollution permits like factories and power plants - which have more options for limiting and controlling emissions - it would be like taxing farmers for having livestock.
While that leaves a source of greenhouse has emissions unchecked, it's also clear that methane from cow burps can't be approached the same way as factory emissions. Buildings can be retrofitted or built with pollution-limiting technology. Animals can't.
Via Washington Post
Cows - CC licenses by awallafashagba and flikr
Enteric Emissions - Great work by Stonyfield Farm, Group Danone
Real issue, real emissions and real progress. I won't dignify the last anonymous tirade with a reply.
And contrary to the more sophomoric articles on the subject, most of the emissions are from the mouth end of the cow. Thanks for not stooping for the cheap humor, Jonathan.
Stonyfield Farm and its parent the Danone Group have teamed up on some great work on the subject understanding the extent of the emissions, how "modern" feeding practices exacerbate the issue and how better nutrition can reduce emissions and improve milk quality.
Check out the Greenbiz article at:
http://www.climatebiz.com/blog/2009/06/05/cow-diet-saves-planet
It is amazing what happens when mission centric entrepreneurs honestly analyze an issue, apply good science and share the results. Nancy and Gary Hirshberg and the whole Stonyfield team should be applauded. Better, yet run out and get at least one BIG tub of yogurt.
Jim Hartzfeld
Managing Director - InterfaceRAISE LLC
Cow Burps? An absurd diversion from 'Cap & Trade" legislation!
Another political ridiculous and absurd diversion to legitimize the absurd and evil attempt of one-world government fascist plutocrats who are trying to push and legislate destructive anti-free enterprise policies across the fruited plains of our Constitutional Republic form of limited government, free enterprise and responsible self rule.
This is a non-sequitor smoke screen to ramrod the 'CAP & TRADE' federal legislation that will unmercifully TAX everyone huge in the U.S.A. who use energy, crush existing energy providers and ultimately allow the marxist in the Washington beltway to make us their slaves!
Another sinister attempt of the "blind attempting to lead the blind." They'll both end up in a ditch (and TRY to force us to join them). Wake up U.S.A. electorate - open your mouth and don't stand for it!)
And finally, like John Stossel would say...
"Give me a break!"