A 300 kroner tax per ton of carbon dioxide is the new cost of agricultural living for Danish farmers, at least until 2035 when it jumps to 750.
The figures, which translate to about $43 and $106 in the United States, are believed to be the world's first "belch and manure" tax targeting cow emissions, The New York Times reported. While other countries have made similar approaches toward applying capitation to bovine flatulence, it appears Denmark is the first to succeed.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, farmers will get more than half the tax back in the form of rebates, the Times said — a necessary measure, since those in the agricultural industry can't completely stop cow flatulence.
The more farmers directly target the windiness of their livestock, the more those rebates increase. For instance, there are several consumable products, either in the testing phase or on the market, that reduce flatulence.
Red seaweed (Asparagopsis taxiformis) is the most effective and is being tested for mass-market production. Bovaer, Agolin, green tea, and oregano are also popular alternatives.
The new tax is calculated to target cleanup efforts in Denmark's agricultural industry, the Times reported. Over two-thirds of the country is farmland, with 215 pigs for every one person and a cow for every four.
"I think it's good," Copenhagen resident Rasmus Angelsnes told the Times. "It's kind of a nudge to make different choices, maybe more climate-friendly choices."
Restoration of Denmark's peatlands is priority No. 1 thanks to the topography's ability to absorb planet-warming pollution. Peatland is a type of wetland, and Denmark's is essentially gone, the Times said, along with roughly 35% of peatlands throughout the world.
Peatlands are capable of storing two times the amount of carbon that regular forests do, which makes them essential for combating greenhouse pollution in Denmark. It's difficult for them to be essential, however, if they hardly exist.
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While no other countries are reported to have enacted such a tax yet, many are actively promoting other forms of sustainable farming practices. Spain emphasizes agroforestry, organic farming, and mingling solar energy with crop production.
India engages in permaculture farming practices, while regenerative businesses are popping up in South Africa. Brazil, the European Union, and the U.S. are either using feed additives or working toward approvals.
In Denmark's case, the food industry is mostly on board with the farmers. "They understand they need to do it; they want to do it," Arla Foods CEO Peder Tuborgh told the Times. "They know it is protecting their reputation, and they're still producing."
Kristian Hundeboll, the CEO of DLG Group, wants more agricultural businesses in Europe to join the effort as well. "Neither the climate, agriculture, nor the ancillary industries benefit from Denmark acting unilaterally," Hundeboll said.
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