Almost a year ago, farmers here and nationwide were outraged over reports that the federal government was considering a "cow tax" aimed at reducing methane gas produced by their livestock.
The plan to tax cows for burping or flatulence was fodder for late-night talk shows, but it scared local dairy farmers, already struggling in hard times.
In recent weeks, federal officials and Congress have taken action to put the cow tax rumor to rest.
In September, the 2010 Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill specifically prohibited the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from taxing producers for naturally occurring livestock emissions.
On Sept. 22, EPA finalized rules that will require the nation's largest emitters of six greenhouse gases, including methane, to report annual emissions.
In announcing the regulations, EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson specifically emphasized that the rule would not include a cow tax.
The requirements, aimed mainly at power plants, would affect only about 107 large-scale farm facilities nationwide, EPA said.
To be affected, a farm would have to produce huge amounts of carbon dioxide or methane gas, a level that would require somewhere on the order of 3,000 dairy cows or 29,000 beef cattle, according to EPA.
It is believed there is no single farm operation in Pennsylvania of that size.
"The cow tax is dead," said Mark O'Neill, spokesman for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.
O'Neill added, "We spent a lot of time trying to calm down our farmers when that (rumor) came down."
He said the notion that the government was looking at a cow tax "might have been slightly blown out of proportion."
Don McNutt, director of the Lancaster County Conservation District, opined that "the jury is still out" on the science to determine if regulating methane gas from cows would make an appreciable difference in global warming.
He said local farmers should be more concerned about new regulations coming down from the EPA under the Obama administration's vow to take strong steps to clean up the Chesapeake Bay.
O'Neill says the Farm Bureau and Pennsylvania farmers are focused on proposed "cap and trade" legislation being debated in Congress to control greenhouse gases.
Regions of the country could have a limit, or cap, on the amount of greenhouse gases emitted. Utilities and companies could trade among themselves permits to emit global-warming gases.
Farm groups believe such a system would drive up the cost of electricity, fuel and fertilizer, making it harder for farmers to survive.