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Cow fart bill passes California Legislature

September 7, 2016

cowCalifornia legislators have approved a bill targeting cow flatulence and manure, which lawmakers blame for releasing greenhouse gases. The legislation aims to reduce methane emissions related to manure to 40 percent below 2013 levels by 2030. [CBS San Francisco]

Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) authored the bill, which passed shortly before the end of the legislative session. Lara agreed to a compromise that will give dairy farms more time to comply with the new regulations.

Critics have expressed concerns the new regulations will result in an increase in the price of milk from California cows. Proponents of the bill say methane emissions have a huge influence on the climate.

The legislation also calls for efforts that would significantly increase composting in order to eliminate the amount of food waste in landfills. Food waste releases methane when it breaks down.


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There are between 1 and 1.5 BILLION cattle on this planet at any given time. Grass fed cattle have a negetive effect on the climate that is upwards of 25 times worse than the effect of CO2 and other green house gases. The only “plus” is that methane has a shorter life span than other green house gases.


Someone brought up Buffalo (Bison)… There has never been 125 million of these animals on the planet, let alone North America; more like 30 to 60 million. They never had to “compete” with manufactured green house gases so if they actually had any effect on the climate it was minimul at best.


The only definitive way of curbing this “gas attack” is to lessen our appitite for beef and other bovine products, something McDonald’s, the largest beef consumer on the planet, wouldn’t like one bit.


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L.A. RamsFan do your research all of these facts are online. There are roughly 7 million beef and dairy cows in CA and there are roughly 20 million dogs and cats in CA. Cows are herbivores and dogs and cats are carnivores. Which do you think is worse for the environment? Cow manure can and is used as fertilizer. Dog and cat feces is toxic, why do you think it turns your lawn yellow. It is estimated the 1 gram of dog poop can contain 23 million fecal coliform bacteria. It also emits methane gas as it decomposes. EPA deemed pet waste a “non point source of pollution in 1991 which puts it in the same category as oil and toxic chemicals. EPA estimates that 2-3 days worth of dog droppings from a population of about 100 dogs would contribute enough bacteria to temporarily close a bay, and all watershed areas within 20 miles of it, to swimming and shell fishing. Make sure you don’t walk barefoot at a dog park or the beach you’ll pick up the eggs of roundworms and other parasites that can live in the soil for years. The 80 million pet dogs in the US produce over 10 million tons of toxic waste every year dumped.


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cullcalif,


I love a good counter point! Gives me a reason to dig into a subject I’m not familiar with, in this case “pet poop and our climate”, and get myself better edumacated. Thanks!


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It gives me such pleasure to see our duly elected state government addressing the most

critical problems facing this state – cow farting must be addressed quickly. I could not think of a more disturbing problem than to be driving down I-5 and having cow farts smell up the road, and then having your children ask why doesn’t our highly paid elected officials solve this problem,


I now know that this will soon be a thing of the past. Three cheers to our legislature!!


I will be calling my broker tomorrow and investing in the makers of Beano and air freshener.


In the meantime, water issues, crime, infrastructure, illegal immigrants, and other such

minor problems can wait. We all can rest easy – Cow farting has been solved.


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So, let me see if I understand you; if the four (4) “minor” problems you refer to are nor being addressed and or solved our representives should sit around and do, well, what?! Nothing?! Sit on their collective hands and do what? Wow! Wait a minute! That sure sounds like our current Republican Legislators in DC, now doesn’t it? Damn sure does!


It’s a worthy effort, one that all of us should appreciate… But then again I should recognize that the crowd here is either waiting on bad people to do the right thing, their god to intervene or less governement to do more; which of course are all pipe dreams!


And if you don’t like how our representives are doing their job(s)? Run for their seat and show us your miracle cure-all….


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I am going to go way out on a limb here and make the assumption you are the one that

voted ‘down’ on my comment. That is OK, we still have the freedom to express our

opinions (since our legislatures are too busy outlawing cow farting, they have not, as yet, passed any laws outlawing expressing our opinions – maybe next year}.


As to what do I expect from our elected representatives – well it would be something more pressing than cow farting. And whereas I may like to run for their seats, I do not have the ability to ‘kiss’ up to the power brokers, smile and call it ‘chocolate’.


And yes, this is just my opinion, I do not pretend to have all the ‘answers’ (I am not a politician). But if they would put the same degree of effort in solving some of the more

pressing issues of this state – maybe them outlawing cow farting wouldn’t result in such

humorous commentary.


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If cow farts could power the bullet train we might have a winner.


California – the world’s largest open air lunatic asylum.


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California motto, ~ our politicians are dumber than yours ~


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I guess we must face that mad cow disease has taken over Sacramento!


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i would like to propose legislation that targets political/government flatulence that is far more harmful to the environment than cows.

As we all know, the majority of our leaders are full of $hit.


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There is more gas coming from our legislators than will ever come from cows and all farm animals combined.


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From his web site. “Ricardo champions legislation that improves the quality of life for vulnerable communities.” So whose little ninos will be priced out of their milk and taco filling? Typical regressive do-gooder with no understanding of the consequences of their actions.


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Maybe they could hook all the cows up to a manifold that pipes the gas to a cogen plant and the solids could be separated out for fertilizer, all the while hooked up to a milking machine.


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Best idea I’ve heard yet.


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