The government said that the levy was a world first and that farmers could pass the cost on by charging more for green products.

Federated Farmers, the industry’s main lobby group, however, said the tax would “rip the guts out of small-town New Zealand” and endanger food production.

“Our plan was to keep farmers farming,” Federated Farmers President Andrew Hoggard said. Instead, farmers will be selling their farms “so fast you won’t even hear the dogs barking on the back of the ute (pickup truck) as they drive off”.

New Zealand has five million people but 10 million beef and dairy cattle as well as 26 million sheep. Contrary to popular belief, cattle burps produce more methane than certain other of their emissions.