New Zealand Farmers Furious over "Flatulence Tax"

The Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty with the goal of reducing CO2 emissions and other "greenhouse gases" has spawned unusual legislation in New Zealand. Unlike the majority of countries which signed the Kyoto Protocol, New Zealand contributes very little in the way of industrial pollutants, with more than 40% of suspected greenhouse gases in the country being agricultural in origin.

But from what, might you ask? From the country's 45 million sheep and 10 million cattle, who are hard at work day and night converting luscious grass into aromatic methane. It is this by-product of consumption which is being contested for taxation, and which would bring in about $4.9 million a year (ranging between $300 - $10,000 per farmer) to fund research on agriculutural impact minimilization.