Groundswell protest

The farming community aren't happy with Jacinda Ardern and Labour's plan to tax methane emissions generated by farms and livestock. Jamie Mackay, host of The ...

Once again, Groundswell protesters jumped in tractors, utes and various other vehicles in 60 convoys around the country yesterday. They wanted to educate p.

- Publish Date - Fri, 21 Oct 2022, 7:45am - Author

A farming protest called has hit back at the Government after the agriculture minister labelled yesterday's tractor convoy turnout as “embarrassing”.

It accused the Government of throwing out the years of work the sector put into finding a solution – and said it was "deeply unimpressed" with its take on what He Waka Eke Noa put forward. "Whenever they make a major announcement they always seem to do it at this time of the year because they know farmers can't get activated, they can't get off the farm. Critics such as Greenpeace have been critical of agriculture being able to draw on a $710 million fund for emissions reduction efforts, despite not being a part of the ETS that funds it. "This is about as busy a time in the year that you can get on the farming calendar," he said. Agriculture minister Damian O'Connor said he thought the crowd size was "embarrassing for them, not as many as they thought I guess". A protest organiser has blamed the low turnout numbers on farmers being unable to get off their farms at this busy time of year.

Groundswell NZ took to the streets across the country today to protest against the Government's farm emissions pricing plan, but the number of protesters ...

It appeared to be the biggest showing of protesters throughout the country. About 100 protesters had gathered on Parliament's lawn as part of the "We're Not Going to Take It" protest. "This tax emission plan as currently proposed is unworkable. Only one tractor was seen on the streets of Wellington. "Even our Agricultural Minister, Damien O'Connor, said it could increase greenhouse gases. There's no guarantee this is going to do anything.

Thousands of farmers have revved their tractors, trucks and utes in protest to the Government's proposed livestock emissions plan. Groundswell New Zealand co- ...

We're opening a safe space for you to constructively discuss a topic which can be polarising but still deserves reasoned debate.

[been called “](https://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/300711020/brutal-manawat-farmers-react-to-governments-agricultural-emissions-plan) [brutal” and “political”](https://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/300711020/brutal-manawat-farmers-react-to-governments-agricultural-emissions-plan)by some in the primary sector. “It has been hard work keeping the farm going through Covid and [droughts](https://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/300589763/dry-autumn-leads-to-financial-relief-for-waikato-and-south-auckland-farmers-and-growers). [Waikato beef and sheep farmer Rita Shaw](https://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/300716785/farm-tax-will-suck-us-dry-says-protester-as-tractors-and-utes-roll-through-hamilton)was among those protesting on Thursday. [fart tax](https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/14476/Further-rumblings-over-rural-fart-tax)in the early 2000s. It [has organised a number of protests](https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/300359312/howl-of-a-protest-in-photos-tractors-take-over-main-streets-across-nz)in the past in response to the growing frustration of farmers around things like [the ‘ute tax’](https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/300331893/kiwis-will-pay-3000-penalty-for-polluting-utes-under-new-policy-aa-says)and [three waters reform](https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/128977868/theres-a-better-way-forward-than-three-waters). [Groundswell NZ](https://www.groundswellnz.co.nz/): Thursday’s protest was organised by the [advocacy group](https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/130229379/fact-check-how-do-groundswells-climate-complaints-stack-up), which was founded in 2020 by farmers Bryce McKenzie and Laurie Paterson. The Government has [committed](https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/126869598/cop26-james-shaw-confirms-no-new-methane-cuts-involved-in-joining-global-pledge)to a 10% reduction in methane emissions from agriculture and landfills by 2030, going up to a 24-47% reduction by 2050, compared to 2017 levels. It’s been praised by environmentalists, criticised that it’s not tough enough by others, and left many in [the rural sector](https://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/300711020/brutal-manawat-farmers-react-to-governments-agricultural-emissions-plan) upset. - Other key issues are the two primary recommendations that were rejected from the plan. Can farmers actually afford to pay the levies? Groundswell aims to halt or rewrite [“unworkable farming regulations”](https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/130175403/groundswell-nzs-new-protest-we-not-going-to-take-it?rm=a&cx_rm-ctrl=true)it deems unfairly impacts those in the rural sector. We hope that providing a specific platform for a finite period of time will allow for important debate and different points of view, without the open slather of social media and the risk of discussions being hijacked by extreme views.

Farmers will hit the road today in opposition to the Government's livestock emissions plan. Thousands are expected to turn out for the "We're Not Going to ...

It comes alongside a net-zero emissions target for 2050. In Auckland, convoys will meet at Pukekohe at 8am before hitting the road. There's no guarantee this is going to do anything. "And now we're going to remind the Government how New Zealand pays its way in the world." "Even our Agricultural Minister, Damien O'Connor, said it could increase greenhouse gases. The Government has committed to a 10 per cent reduction in methane emissions from agriculture and landfills by 2030, going up to a 24-47 per cent reduction by 2050, compared to 2017 levels.

Tractors will be driving through city centres across the motu as Groundswell, an advocacy group for farming and rural communities in New Zealand, protest ...

Climate activists might be taking a breather after blocking Transmission Gully, but tractors could be rolling down Wellington's streets to oppose emissions ...

“We are hopeful that we can turn this around and save some form of liveable planet.” “I’m not questioning the motive, I absolutely understand the frustration ... Wellington mayor Tory Whanau said every group was entitled to protest and she hoped the Groundswell one would be considerate of the public. “I question such methods [that affect] people who can’t influence the outcome.” “We apologise for the inconvenience but what we are doing is trying to alert people to the inconvenience to come from floods, fires and massive storms in the next years,” she said. Whanau said she supported the climate activists’ cause, but she “respectfully” asked the rail protesters to keep themselves safe and off the motorway.

Groundswell New Zealand co-founder Laurie Paterson (left) gets ready to leave his Waikaka home at 7am today to drive his tractor to Dunedin, while Clydevale ...

There had been "phenomenal" feedback from urban dwellers who supported the protest action and wanted protesters to "stay on message". Yesterday, Mr Paterson, a Waikaka farmer, said the response had been "ballistic" and he was expecting a large turnout for the event, which was concentrated on Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. In response to what it describes as the Government’s "assault on food production and rural communities" through a proposed tax on livestock emissions, the rural group is holding a noon protest entitled We’re Not Going To Take It.

Groundswell say the scheme poses an "existential threat" to rural communities, with protests taking place around the country today.

"Our staff will be monitoring the roading network and will respond to any issues as they arise," a spokesperson said this morning. "Police recognise the lawful right to protest, and we also recognise the public has a right to go about their lawful business." Protests were planned from Whangārei to Bluff, including slow-moving tractor convoys.

Tractors will take to our roads today as part of a nation-wide protest organised by Groundswell. The farmer advocacy group opposes the government's emission ...

Tractors will take to the roads today as part of a nationwide protest organised by Groundswell. The farmer advocacy group opposes the government's emissions ...

Bear in mind our starting point has been the system that came to us from the sector themselves. Speaking to reporters in Auckland, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said: "We are in the middle of a very genuine process here. We want to be out and are out talking to our farmers and our food producers as to the best possible design for the system. ["If you've got a government that won't listen you have to do things so people take notice" duration 4:52](/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018863431/farmers-hitting-the-road-for-another-protest) ["If you've got a government that won't listen you have to do things so people take notice"](/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018863431/farmers-hitting-the-road-for-another-protest) "Let's work out how it's going to be best for the farmers and the country, the problem being is that if you just charge willy nilly for something that you actually have no solution to, then it's a tax, it's not actually what supposed to be." "All I can say is we apologise but the whole thing about it is if you've got a government that won't listen you have to do things so people take notice and as I said we're going to try and keep it as legal as we can."

Farmers will hit the road today in opposition to the Government's livestock emissions plan. Thousands are expected to turn out for the We're Not Going to.

Groundswell say the scheme poses an "existential threat" to rural communities, with protests taking place around the country today.

"Our staff will be monitoring the roading network and will respond to any issues as they arise," a spokesperson said. "Police recognise the lawful right to protest, and we also recognise the public has a right to go about their lawful business." Protests are planned from Whangārei to Bluff today, including slow-moving tractor convoys.

While the adverse impacts on our atmosphere can be measured, the social impacts are often forgotten" says Urs Signer of Climate Justice Taranaki. "Our group ...

"We need an immediate stop to the import of palm kernel feed made from rainforest destruction in Borneo. "The intensification and industrialisation of the dairy industry - fuelled by importing feed from overseas and the use of synthetic fertilisers like urea - in Taranaki and elsewhere has increased our emissions while having a negative impact on the local environment. "We know at least 50% of our emissions are directly from agriculture, not even counting the international emissions from an industry that exports 80-95% of their products.

... * Tractor convoys organised by Groundswell NZ could cause disruption in cities and towns around the country today. * The farming lobby group is calling ...

About a dozen tractors passed through Milton accompanied by utes and other vehicles joining a convoy in support of Groundswell's We're Not Going to Take It ...

"Police recognise the lawful right to protest and we also recognise the public has a right to go about their lawful business. The action is in response to what the group describes as the Government’s "assault on food production and rural communities" through a proposed tax on livestock emissions, A convoy of about 40 tractors and up to 100 utes is on a loop of the one-way system for the demonstration.

Watch: Groundswell protesters drive tractors across Auckland's Harbour Bridge. Credits: Newshub. Farmers have walked off the paddocks and driven into the big ...

Farmers have taken to the streets of Christchurch today in opposition to the Government's livestock emissions plan. Thousands are expected to turn out for ...

It comes alongside a net-zero emissions target for 2050. "And now we're going to remind the Government how New Zealand pays its way in the world." There's no guarantee this is going to do anything. The Government has committed to a 10 per cent reduction in methane emissions from agriculture and landfills by 2030, going up to a 24-47 per cent reduction by 2050, compared to 2017 levels. "Even our Agricultural Minister, Damien O'Connor, said it could increase greenhouse gases. So we just want to educate the city people that this is really in our faces and we have to do something about it."

Convoys of tractors and honking utes are descending into city centres as farmers protest over the Government's emissions plan.

Queues of tractors and utes rolled into towns in protest, as farmers oppose the emissions pricing scheme.

Groundswell NZ took to the streets across the country today to protest against the Government's farm emissions pricing plan, but the number of protesters ...

It appeared to be the biggest showing of protesters throughout the country. About 100 protesters had gathered on Parliament's lawn as part of the "We're Not Going to Take It" protest. "We must protect our farming and rural communities. "This tax emission plan as currently proposed is unworkable. Only one tractor was seen on the streets of Wellington. "Even our Agricultural Minister, Damien O'Connor, said it could increase greenhouse gases.