NZ farmers protest raises stink

The countryside too produces greenhouse gases

Farmers in New Zealand are showing their disgust at government plans to impose an animal "flatulence tax" by sending parcels of manure to members of parliament.

But their "Raise a Stink" campaign has angered the country's postal workers who say the smelly packages could pose a health risk.

"We're treating this as seriously as cyanide," the New Zealand Herald quotes a postal spokesman as saying.

The planned tax aims to contribute funds to research on the methane emitted by sheep and cows.

The animals are thought to be responsible for more than half of New Zealand's greenhouse gases.

NZ Post said about 20 reeking packages and envelopes had been sent to the nation's parliament in Wellington.

The health ministry has warned that the faeces could pass on diseases to people.

Click here to see a graphic showing how cows will be taxed

NZ Post has revised its safety guidelines to sorting staff who now wear gloves and have been told to put suspect parcels into bags.

"Our main concern is for the health and safety of our people," spokesman Ian Long told the Associated Press.

"The police have told us that they will prosecute if they can prove wrongdoing."

But the farmers are unrepentant.

"Farmers feel marginalised. They don't have a voice in parliament they once had...to really get traction on an issue when a ridiculous tax like this is being foisted o them," Adam Fricker, editor of the Rural News newspaper, told AP.

The proposal is to levy a tax to raise NZ$8m (US$4.7 million) a year - that amounts to about NZ$300 (US$177) for average farms.

Farmers say taxpayers should pay for the research, because reducing the emissions benefits everyone.

Sheep, cattle, goats and deer produce large quantities of gas through belching and flatulence, as their multiple stomachs digest grass.

Ruminants are responsible for about 25% of the methane produced in Britain.

In countries with a large agricultural sector, the proportion is much higher. In New Zealand, farm animals produce 90% of methane emissions.

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