Taieri farmers took their protest about rates increases of up to $30,000 to the Otago Regional Council yesterday, when 10 tractors and a police escort rumbled through Dunedin to the council's Stafford St offices.
With signs reading "No to unfair rates review" and "Consultation - yeah right", the farmers parked outside for two separate meetings with ORC chairman Stephen Woodhead.
The meetings - one with East Taieri farmers and another with West Taieri farmers - were described by both sides as "convivial", but the crunch comes today when councillors decide the issue.
The protest was a bid to delay the Taieri rating review, which aimed to have those benefiting the most from anti-flooding measures and drainage works pay higher rates.
Many Taieri farmers did not agree with the review and wanted its implementation delayed for a funding review and more consultation.
Outside the council yesterday, one farmer said his ORC rates had risen from $35,000 to $51,000.
Taieri farmer Ad Bekkers said he had tried to contact regional councillors with his concerns.
"This is the best way to make a statement to all councillors." He wanted the decision delayed, and more consultation.
Many farmers were unaware of the extent of the changes until a meeting on Monday.
The farmers were concerned about changing a system that treated all land equally, and everyone paid the same amount, to one that split the Taieri in two, leaving one area to pay 80% of drainage rates.
The group wanted the council to defer any changes. The two Taieri councillors, Mr Woodhead and Cr David Shepherd, had been "defending the ORC rather than promoting and seeking our views", the process had been too quick, and the result of the review was a "massive increase" for a few, affecting their viability, and the value of their holdings.
Taieri farmer and Federated Farmers Otago provincial president Mike Lord estimated about 100 farmers would have large increases.
Mr Woodhead said last night the meetings were convivial and farmers had had their say.
Cr Shepherd said he was not at the meetings, as the farmers had asked to see Mr Woodhead.
"I'm not prepared to talk about it until we make a decision."
