Agriculture Minister David Carter is not taking a threat of political action by farmers seriously.
Some farmers in Waikato and Gisborne are discussing the idea of forming a rural political party because they think their voice, particularly on the Emissions Trading Scheme is not being heard in Parliament.
Mr Carter says it is not the first time farmers have threatened to launch their own party when they have been unhappy with Government policy.
He says he believes the Government (has) listened to farmers over their concerns with the ETS - by substantially lowering the impact the scheme will have on agriculture.
Mr Carter says the Government has also reduced costs to them in other areas.
But Federated Farmers' Gisborne-Wairoa president Hamish Cave says it is not enough. He says the Government should scrap the ETS, or at least delay it until 2013 as has happened in Australia.
Mr Cave, who is floating the idea of a farmers' party, says any extra costs imposed on farmers will rip the heart out of the rural sector.
