Environment

EPA Wants to Turn Cows Into Goats — Scapegoats

by BMCWrites | December 5, 2008 at 02:33 pm

377 views | 9 Recommendations | 10 comments

It appears the folks at the Environmental Protection Agency want to turn cows into goats — or, more accurately, scapegoats — by charging fees to people who raise air-polluting animals.

According to an Associated Press report today, a proposal put forth by the Environmental Protection Agency would require farms or ranches with more than 25 dairy cows, 50 beef cattle or 200 hogs to pay an annual fee of about $175 for each dairy cow, $87.50 per head of beef cattle and $20 for each hog.

By taking such an anti-livestock stance, EPA officials are choosing to align themselves with a laundry list of global warming alarmists who draw paychecks from places like ABC, the European Union and the United Nations. At the same time, they’re sending a signal of indifference about the impact such a measure would have (i.e., bankruptcy) on those backbone-of-America souls who spend their lives raising animals that are both essential and beneficial to the American way of life.

-- Bob McCarty Writes

0 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend Sign In or Join to post comments

Uwe Paschen

at 18:58 on December 5th, 2008

There are not turning them into scapegoats It is a justified and worrying issue. A high polluting industry such as the dairy industry is has to comply to environmental regulation just as much as Goal power plant would have to or any other Polluter for that matter.

Same with the Hogs, In agriculture the Greatest Polluter are the The Hogs, the Cows and the Chicken Farms and we are talking serious pollution here.

whitecatsg

at 19:02 on December 5th, 2008

This cow was walking around the old countryside village of Longmen in China, near Hangzhou.

Besides this cow we also saw a pig running around and several chickens. Some of the chickens had pink feathers at their behind and brown feathers otherwise.

whitecatsg has contributed a photo to this story.

net_efekt

at 03:00 on December 6th, 2008

That's udder madness!

net_efekt

at 03:04 on December 6th, 2008

The biggest source of greenhouse gasses comes from oil consumption. Cows hardly play a role.

Or, look at this way: Cows don't consume 'locked-in' carbon, but just recycle what is already in our environment. Cars etc on the other hand use 'locked-in' carbon ie. carbon that is out of natural circulation because it is locked-in underground, in the form of gas, coal and oil deposits.

Uwe Paschen

at 05:36 on December 6th, 2008

Methane Emission do play a great role as do CO2 emissions. You may want to cash up on the Studies being published on the UNO and EU web pages.

net_efekt

at 05:29 on December 8th, 2008

I agree, methane does cause a problem. But my point is that if cows were not there, the methane would STILL BE PRODUCED - all part of natural plant decay. (That is why burning wood, as part of a log fire, is better than letting that same wood rot in the ground. Not ideal, but more practical - and cozy).
What is new to the whole global climate is that we humans are releasing carbon that has been locked into the earth's sediment for millions of years.

Uwe Paschen

at 06:54 on December 8th, 2008

This does not target the cows per say, it does target CAFO operations that mass produce meat and milk a low food value. Those use feeding programs that cause up to 600% more Methane production of by the animals, as to a cow that eats only what cows usually eat being Grass. Similar problem with Swine and Chicken operations. Feeding back processed dead animals and high protein for fast grows to a herbivore causes trouble.

And yes we human have added Additional Carbons due to the extraction of fossil fuels and the burning of those. The problem now though is we have to stop or it may all self destruct us and the seriousness is such that we have to reduces every thing and where ever we can.

Even the Cows have to be reduced. In 20 to 40 we will most likely no longer be able to eat meat, at least not daily maybe not even weekly.

pacurarc

at 09:04 on December 6th, 2008

Friends from Filea, Ciurila near of Cluj- Napoca.

pacurarc has contributed a photo to this story.

Alida Antonia Cornelius

at 09:17 on December 6th, 2008

Massive feedlot operations are very bad.

But, some people are raising cattle organically.

I have a friend who raises cattle. He has 124 head.

This story is going to upset him. Raising cattle is still important for small family farms, which are already facing problems with competition from huge corporate farming operations.

net_efekt

at 05:28 on December 8th, 2008

"Methane Emission do play a great role as do CO2 emissions. You may want to cash up on the Studies being published on the UNO and EU web pages. "
I agree, methane does cause a problem. But my point is that if cows were not there, the methane would STILL BE PRODUCED - all part of natural plant decay. (That is why burning wood, as part of a log fire, is better than letting that same wood rot in the ground. Not ideal, but more practical - and cozy).
What is new to the whole global climate is that we humans are releasing carbon that has been locked into the earth's sediment for millions of years.