The climate change Land Sector Working Group met today to discuss the opportunities that a carbon price would provide to farmers and landholders in rural and regional Australia.

The working group also considered the impacts of carbon pricing on the land sector and on food processors.

The Land Sector Working Group was established by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig, and Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Mark Dreyfus, to advise the Government on the impact of climate change to the land sector.

“The Gillard Government is committed to ongoing consultation on the design of a carbon price mechanism,” Minister Ludwig said.

“The Government has already confirmed that direct emissions from agricultural sources will not be included in any carbon price.

“The land sector makes a vital contribution to the Australian economy and the Government takes the views of representatives from our primary industries seriously.”

"Farmers and landholders stand to benefit from the abatement opportunities in the land sector,” Mr Dreyfus said.

"The Government is committed to supporting land sector abatement through Carbon Farming legislation introduced by the Government in March 2011."

The Land Sector Working Group consists of a broad range of representatives principally from the primary industries sector, including many experienced farmers and landholders.