A convoy of about 30 tractors and dozens of utes joined the Dunedin protest against the government's proposed emissions pricing scheme.
About 100 tractors drove into Auckland to protest.
Groundswell co founder Bryce McKenzie, of West Otago, said it was the busiest time on the farming calendar and rural contractors, who had also expressed interest in attending, had labour shortages.
The protest had also been thrown together in eight days following the government’s announcement of tax on livestock emissions.
If the group had two months to organise it, the protest would have been “massive”.
Groundswell was calling for no emissions tax on food producers and had given the government until the end of the month to respond.
Co-founder Laurie Paterson, of Waikaka, said the proposed emissions tax was the worst assault on rural New Zealand for decades.
