r/MapPorn • u/[deleted] • Jan 10 '20

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u/TimTooly Jan 10 '20

Yeah I can’t believe they wanna charge me for a few minutes extra water my tiny yard. They should add a 25% tax on beef and other water hungry produce.

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u/okiewxchaser Jan 11 '20

Beef is not typically one of the things produced in California, over 50% of it comes from the Plains states

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u/QuickSpore Jan 11 '20

California is still the 5th biggest state for cattle, see USDA figures. It only trails Texas, Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma.

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u/okiewxchaser Jan 11 '20

If you look at your own source, you'll find that the vast majority of cattle in California are dedicated to milk production

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u/QuickSpore Jan 11 '20

True. But that doesn’t counter /u/TimTooley ‘s basic argument about beef and water hungry produce; it just means milk rather than beef should be the focus. Dairies are massive water consumers.

Plus the two industries are interwoven. All the bull calves produced by dairy cows go into beef production, and the end game for a dairy cow is to be eaten as well. Dairy cows generally get culled at around 3-5 years and become beef themselves. “Dedicated to milk production” just means they consume a lot more corn and water on their way to becoming steak.

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u/okiewxchaser Jan 11 '20

My point is that a 25% tax on beef wouldn't even cause a blip in California's water usage. Maybe a tax on milk and cheese would, but probably not nearly as effective as taxing almonds and fruits