Nearly 1500 turnout for Southland rally

5.30pm

Nearly 1500 people turned out at a rally to protest the Government's planned research levy on livestock emissions in Invercargill today, Southland Federated Farmers President Don Nicolson said.

Mr Nicolson said the turnout showed the level of opposition to the proposed levy.

The rally grew from a series of meetings earlier this month to discuss the Government's controversial $8.4 million research levy to reduce on-farm methane emissions.

Farmers will pay about 9c a year for each mature sheep and from 54 cents a year for each mature beef or dairy animal.

"If the Government believes the Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Emissions Research is in the public interest then the Government should pay," Mr Nicolson said.

- NZPA