‘Burp and fart’ tax stirs protests among N. Zealand farmers

WELLINGTON – Farmers quit their fields and hit New Zealand’s city streets today in countrywide protests against plans to tax emissions from farm animals.

Convoys of tractors and farmyard vehicles disrupted traffic in Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch and other major hubs, with participants demanding the centre-left government back away from a contentious “burp and fart” tax.

Last week, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern unveiled plans for a “world first” levy on methane and nitrous oxide from the nation’s six million cows and 26 million sheep.

Methane is less abundant and does not linger as long in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, but is a much more potent warming agent pound for pound.

Scientists believe it is responsible for roughly 30% of the global rise in temperatures despite being a fraction of the greenhouse gas mix.

Ardern has argued the tax is needed to slow warming and could even benefit farmers if they can charge more for climate-friendly meat.

However, New Zealand’s farmers are up in arms, with thousands of agricultural workers joining today’s protest, called “We’re not going to take it”.

“The government’s ideological commitment to punitive and counterproductive emissions taxes on food production is an existential threat to rural communities,” said Bryan McKenzie of Groundswell NZ, the advocacy group that organised the protest.

“After years of faux consultation, the government has given up on all pretence of a fair and workable agricultural emissions policy.”

While the government hopes the tax will reduce livestock emissions by 20%, McKenzie argues that any “reductions will be replaced by less efficient foreign farmers”.

Environmentalists argue that protesting farmers are stuck in the mud.

“This country’s rural and agricultural sector has been hard hit by floods, intense storms and droughts this year alone,” said Emily Bailey of Climate Justice Taranaki.

“That cost millions in damages and loads of stress and heartbreak for those losing homes, sheds, stock and fences.

“It’s only getting worse. Farmers can either adapt and rapidly bring down their emissions or they, and everyone else, will suffer more.” – AFP, October 20, 2022