The County of Lethbridge is proposing a new business tax on Confined Feeding Operations to help pay for road and bridge infrastructure work.

The County council says it needs to invest $3.5 million each year to maintain and improve roads and bridges.

These taxes would be in addition to the municipal taxes already paid by farmers and CFOs in the county.
 
The Alberta Beef Oroducers says they recognize the infrastructure challenges facing rural municipalities and is willing to work with local governments on solutions, but strongly opposes the proposed business tax.

They feel the County has not sufficiently explored other funding options before moving to impose a business tax that places an unfair portion of the cost on livestock and poultry producers.

The Alberta Beef Producers are part of the Intensive Agriculture Operations Working Group which was formed to explore issues of assessment and taxation for farmland and agricultural operations, as well as the infrastructure challenges associated with intensive agricultural operations.

The work of the group will be completed this summer and they believe that a provincial solution would be much better than special taxes imposed by individual counties.
 
The proposed business tax has received first reading but there are still opportunities for producers to present their views at two open houses Tuesday April 12, at the Coalhurst and District Community Centre, from 6-8 p.m. and Thursday April 14, at McNally Community Centre from 6-8 p.m.