Thousands turned out across New Zealand for the "We're Not Going to Take It" nationwide protest - with utes, tractors, and trucks gathering in the main centres.
Almost 60 convoys were on the move around the country - with some hitting the road at 8am.
In Christchurch, some of the protesters arrived on foot and met at Cathedral Square before marching to Hagley Park for a gathering at noon. They were led along Oxford Tce by a pair of Leeston farmers on their Arabian horses.
More protesters arrived via tractor, truck or car at the corner of Moorhouse Ave and Lincoln Rd from noon. They included convoys from Greymouth, Hokitika, Westport, Timaru, Ashburton, Leeston, Rolleston, Darfield, Rangiora and Amberley.
In Dunedin, convoys from Gore, Balclutha, Lawrence, Roxburgh, Milton and Oamaru converged at Mosgiel, then headed to Queen's Park.
Groundswell organiser Bryce McKenzie said while participants were being urged to be considerate, tractors can only travel so fast.
'We want city people to understand what is going on'
McKenzie described the livestock emissions proposal as the country's "nuclear moment".
He told TVNZ's Breakfast show this morning that today's plan was about getting people in the city educated about their plight.
"In a big way, this is an educational plan, because we want city people to actually understand what is really going on.
"This isn't as plain as: 'Let's just do this and this...and it'll stop climate change'. There's no guarantee this is going to do anything.
"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."
The world-first emissions scheme will see farmers paying for agricultural emissions in some form by 2025 and is out for consultation.
The Herald previously reported farmer lobby groups saw it as a step too far, saying it would only push emissions offshore, while environmental groups say it does not go far enough.
McKenzie previously called the emissions pricing plan an "assault on food production and rural communities".
McKenzie said the Government's own statistics showed the plan would reduce production for sheep and beef farmers by up to 20 per cent, and by 6 per cent for dairy farmers.
A consultation document said the plan would be introduced in just three years and was expected to be signed off by Cabinet in 2023.
The system of farmgate pricing has been worked on since 2019 after calls from the sector to have a farmgate emissions pricing system that would reward climate-friendly farmers.
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. It comes alongside a net-zero emissions target for 2050.
McKenzie said emission reductions in New Zealand would be replaced by farms overseas.
"After years of faux consultation, the Government has given up on all pretence of a fair and workable agricultural emissions policy.
"Their emissions reductions will be replaced by less efficient foreign farmers due to emissions leakage."
McKenzie said "most New Zealanders" opposed reducing livestock numbers to meet emissions reduction targets.
"And now we're going to remind the Government how New Zealand pays its way in the world."
McKenzie asked anyone involved in the protest to respect private property and support local businesses.
- The protest meeting points can be found here.
