Posted on 03/06/2009 9:57:42 AM PST by NormsRevenge
PLATTSBURGH — U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer is taking measures to kill, once and for all, a plan that would be burdensome on dairy farmers.
The Environmental Protection Agency has been considering implementing a fee to combat methane emissions from dairy and beef cows.
The fee would be about $175 per dairy cow and about $87.50 per beef cow each year.
A dairy farm with 400 cows would pay about $70,000 a year for this fee. In all, New York farms could be forced to pay about $120 million per year.
The North Country is home to about 146,600 dairy cows and around 14,900 beef cows. Farmers here would have to pay about $27 million total in fees, under the EPA’s proposal.
Schumer (D-Brooklyn) spoke out against the plan last December.
Now, he and Sen. John Thune (R-South Dakota) are introducing a bi-partisan bill that would prevent the EPA and any other government agency from imposing the fee on farmers.
“Times are hard for families across New York state, and they are particularly hard for our farmers,” Schumer said.
“The idea of imposing a cow tax on our farmers and adding one more crushing burden is absurd.”
Clinton County Legislator Sam Trombley (R-Area 2, Ellenburg), who represents many farmers, said the fee would drive many farms out of business.
“With milk prices going down, if they did this, there would be a lot of farms for sale this spring, and that would be a shame.”
Trombley said he will seek a resolution supporting Schumer and Thune’s bill at the next meeting of the Intercounty Legislative Committee of the Adirondacks, which represents 11 North Country counties.
“A lot of farms are just surviving now. This fee would do many of them in,” Trombley said.
Schumer and Thune’s bill would prevent the government from imposing the fee by ensuring that Title V of the Clean Air Act will not apply to methane emissions from livestock agriculture.
“There are clearly other ways to curb greenhouse gases other than charging for animal emissions,” Schumer said.
But but but, what about Global Warming and the polart bears? What about the CHILLLLLDDDREEEEENNNNNN!
OMG!!!I had to read that twice!!
SCHUMER actually opposes this?? Amazing.
He has a big herd vote, it seems, tight in his mitts on this one... for now.
Good thing they didn’t impose this fart fee on my ex.
Maybe he’s worried they will tax the liberal stench emitted out of his mouth next? Maybe they should.
IOW, the government continues to milk taxpayers.
What a POS. Mighty big of you, Chucky. These A-holes rape your wife then tell her to “put some ice on that”.
Hang-em High!
I think a better tax would be on the flatulence that comes out of DC on a daily basis. Maybe by taxing their “oral flatulence” would help get rid of some of those congress vermin that think they’ve been given a life time appointment!
One thing’s for sure. If something like this is ever passed, milk and milk product foods (cheese, yogurt, butter, etc) and meat prices would skyrocket.
Good. This tax would have broke the livestock industry. Not to mention, the price of a good steak would have skyrocketed. I so enjoy a rare KC stip.
I had to look three times to make sure this was not satire.
At first I thought this was a story from The Onion.
It is beyond belief that this many people have gone this insane.
I NEVER thought I would agree with him on ANYTHING, but he’s right. New York farmers are really having a tough time.
I know scary isn't it. There was one other time I agreed with Schmucky Cheeze, when he was working to get the Distinguished Service Cross awarded to a local hero from WWI. His name was Henry Johnson, and he and another soldier held off 20 Germans while on sentry duty. It was an award 80+ years overdue. Other then that the Sen. is about as useful as man boobs.
It is beyond belief that this many people have gone this insane.
—
There are more than a few theories how folks get this way.
Inducing ‘Mass Hysteria’ is a fine art form practiced by more than a select few in gubamint and media these days.
Toss in a populace fed pap for news and educated in public institutions and waa-laa..
Schumer supports every other Carbon Tax to come down the pike. He’ll get no applause from me for opposing this one.
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