New Zealand farmers are going to have to pay for their belching sheep and cattle in a world-first attempt to help cut greenhouse-gas emissions. The methane produced by both animals is a particularly potent greenhouse gas, but agriculture had so far been exempt from New Zealand’s emissions trading scheme. Under a deal between farmers and the government, farmers will have to start paying for their livestock’s emissions from 2025. The plan will incentivize farmers to use feed additives to reduce emissions or plant trees on their land to offset the environmental damage.
