Senator Joyce said the Government’s proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) will send farmers broke.

Dr Kelly said Mr Joyce was completely wrong on the subject.

“Farmers are already doing it tough and are under exceptional mental pressure. They do not need irresponsible comments being made,” he said.

Dr Kelly said the government would not look at introducing a CPRS in the agricultural sector until 2015 and said it was not even in contemplation at this stage.

“There is no real means of issuing a carbon credits scheme at this stage until farmers can see benefit from a productivity point of view. The federal government will not introduce a system that sends farmers broke, it would have to remain viable,” he said.

The Member for Eden-Monaro said just because a scheme was not yet introduced did not mean farmers cannot contemplate ways to reduce their carbon footprint.

“Biogas is one idea where waste from livestock is later turned into electricity through anaerobic digestion,” he said.

Dr Kelly said the National Farmers Federation have engaged with the federal government on the topic of climate change from the beginning. He said the NSW Farmers Federation, who sided with Mr Joyce on the issue, had listened to comments without hearing the full story.

The Member for Eden-Monaro said Mr Joyce was also wrong in believing the rest of the world does not care what Australia do by trying to be leaders in reducing its carbon footprint.

“Australia would have an influence because we have leadership that has an impact and we play a leading role in the international community,” he said.

Dr Kelly said farmers stood the most to gain from a properly considered CPRS.

“Farmers are the most drastically affected by climate change with

higher temperatures and the drought,” he said.