The Missouri Farm Bureau reported that The Environmental Protection Agency is ready to use the federal Clean Air Act to implement a non-conclusive finding that greenhouse gases endanger the public.
Charles Kruse, MFB president, sent the EPA administrator, Lisa Jackson, a letter asking that the agency allows the public to comment until June 23.
The Clean Air Act’s regulation could affect up to 28,000 Missouri farms and cost farmers and ranchers $522 million annually.
The EPA proposed that the high levels of greenhouse gases are the likely cause of the increased temperatures and climate in Missouri. Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydro fluorocarbons, per fluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride were specifically named in the complaint.
Methane is generally found on animal and rice agricultural sites and nitrous oxide comes from fertilizer applications and animals. These two gases are more potent than carbon dioxide and will effect small and mid sized farms.
If the CAA does not change, operations with 25 dairy cows, 50 head of beef cattle, 200 head of swine, 500 acres of corn, 250 acres of soybeans, 35 acres of rice or 1,000 acres of cotton or wheat would be covered under title V.
The estimated cost of the proposed change means each cow would cost farmers $175 a year, $87.50 per beef animal and $20 per hog. Crops would cost $125 per acre of rice, $17.50 for soybeans, $8.75 for corn and $4.38 for cotton and wheat.
Overall farmers would lose 20 percent of their income annually to cover these taxes.
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