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New Zealand Wants to Tax Farmers When Their Cows Burp

New Zealand Wants to Tax Farmers When Their Cows Burp

Officials in New Zealand have proposed the world's first 'cow burp tax,' which would tax farmers when their cattle pass gas.

The proposal, which was confirmed by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yesterday at a press conference, is receiving worldwide attention. Arden stated that the new tax on the country's biggest export -- livestock -- would be "an important step forward in New Zealand’s transition to a low emissions future and delivers on our promise to price agriculture emissions from 2025."

Per Ardern's statement, the initiative would see New Zealand cattle farmers "leading the world" in reducing carbon emissions.

She went on to share that the nation is committed to giving farmers "control over their farming system, providing the ability to reduce costs through revenue raised from the system being recycled back to farmers, which will fund further research, tools and technology and incentives to reduce emissions."

Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor weighed in on the issue as well, saying, “Farmers are already experiencing the impact of climate change with more regular drought and flooding. Taking the lead on agricultural emissions is both good for the environment and our economy."

Although key government officials seem to be firmly behind the motion, farming groups are leary. 

In an email sent to farmers by Beef + Lamb New Zealand, CEO Sam McIlvor and Chairman Andrew Morrison expressed concerns about the high costs this proposed tax will mean for the agriculture industry. 

The lobby group specifically told farmers, “we will not accept a system that disproportionately puts our farmers and communities at risk.”

Rural advocacy organization Federated Farmers of New Zealand also publicly stated concerns regarding the Prime Minister's 'cow burp' tax plan. In an official statement, they noted that the "greenhouse gas reduction plan released by the government this morning will rip the guts out of small town New Zealand."

At this time, farmers are expected to begin paying the proposed emissions tax in 2025.

What do you think about New Zealand's innovative tax plan? Get help with your own taxes by matching with a tax expert who understands your needs today.

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Rebekah Barton

Rebekah Barton

Rebekah's search engine optimization career began completely by accident as a college student. Over the course of her career so far, she has "grown up" with the SEO industry, from writing content while juggling classes to managing her own teams of writers and overseeing SEO strategy in subsequent roles. She is excited to bring her passion for high-quality content to CountingWorks, Inc.

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