5 Trending headlines in the beef world - Jun 14, 2022
Here’s a look at 5 headlines that appear to be at the top of everyone’s mind this week.
Check out these five stories that are dominating the news this week.
1. New Zealand considers taxing cow and sheep burps to combat climate change
New Zealand has proposed a novel way of fighting climate change: charging farmers for the burps, farts and waste of farm animals.
As part of a system of selling tradable emissions credits, New Zealand wants to require ranchers to buy credits for the methane their livestock produce.
"There is no question that we need to cut the amount of methane we are putting into the atmosphere, and an effective emissions pricing system for agriculture will play a key part in how we achieve that," James Shaw, New Zealand's climate change minister, told BBC News last week.
Methane is the second-most prevalent greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, and the majority of methane emissions come from human activity.
2. Iowa Premium cancels Tama beef processing factory that was slated to add 400 jobs
A major beef processor has halted its eastern Iowa expansion.
Blaming increased construction costs, Iowa Premium spokesperson Marcy Johnson said the company has "indefinitely paused" building a new factory in Tama. She said the company will decide whether to resume the project later and will continue operating its current factory in town, where 830 employees work.
Iowa Premium announced plans in March 2021 to replace its current factory with a bigger plant. In a filing with the state, the company disclosed that it would hire 400 workers there by the end of 2024, bringing its total employment to more than 1,200. The larger factory would double the company's production capacity in Tama, to 13,500 head a week.
3. Washington DOFW gets OK to remove cattle
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will attempt to kill up to two wolves in the Togo pack area following repeated attacks on cattle.
WDFW Director Kelly Susewind authorized the killing of one to two wolves. The killings are "not expected to harm the wolf population's ability to reach the statewide or local recovery objective," according to an agency news release.
"In previous years, WDFW has documented 12 — 30 mortalities per year and the population has continued to grow and expand its range," according to the statement.
The Togo wolf pack has a minimum of seven members, per the state's 2021 wolf survey. In 2021, the Togo pack was targeted by state shooters following repeated livestock attacks, but no wolves from the pack were killed. WDFW spent $3,109.87 on that unsuccessful effort.