R-CALF at Odds With Farm Bureau

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R-CALF USA has come to the defense of the Environmental Protection Agency concerning taxes that would result from regulating greenhouse gasses under the Clean Air Act. R-CALF USA notes the American Farm Bureau Federation is claiming regulation would result in new taxes on livestock operations and lead to assessments of 175-dollars for each dairy cow, 87.50 for each head of beef cattle and 20-dollars for each hog.

R-CALF USA Vice President Randy Stevenson says if that were true, it would essentially prohibit the raising of livestock. But he says the EPA is not proposing this tax, which could result if greenhouse gases were regulated under the Act. He says the EPA made it very clear in its notice that it opposes such regulation under the Act. EPA has asked for public comments in order to obtain alternatives for regulating greenhouse gases that would not have the dire consequences that could potentially result if regulated under the Act. Stevenson says the livestock industry and livestock producers should oppose any attempt to tax livestock as a means of regulating greenhouse gases, but they should not be scared into action with false information.