Story: Atmosphere

Methane tax petition

Methane tax petition

In 2003 the New Zealand government proposed a methane tax on farmers, to fund research into methane emissions from livestock. The move was not popular and Federated Farmers strongly opposed it, calling it a ‘fart tax’. The government backed down and supported research through other funds. New Zealand’s livestock do produce a lot of methane as they digest food, but most of it is released by animals belching, not through farting.

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Federated Farmers of New Zealand

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How to cite this page:

Bill Allan, Katja Riedel, Richard McKenzie, Sylvia Nichol and Tom Clarkson, 'Atmosphere - Greenhouse gases', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/6144/methane-tax-petition (accessed 20 April 2024)

Story by Bill Allan, Katja Riedel, Richard McKenzie, Sylvia Nichol and Tom Clarkson, published 12 Jun 2006