Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst is against the Democratic party plan to assess fines and additional regulations on livestock producers based on greenhouse gases.  Ernst, who is a member of both the Senate Agriculture Committee and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee calls the proposed action as a “cow tax.”  During Wednesday’s hearing, Ernst questioned South Dakota Farm Bureau president Scott Vanderwal during his testimony about the effects of the proposed rule and what it would mean to his livestock operation.

Ernst also spoke on the Senate floor against the measure to add regulations to livestock producers for the reduction of greenhouse gases.

Ernst continued with her floor debate urging her colleagues to abandon the idea of imposing additional regulations and costs on livestock producers.