Taieri farmer Mike Lord has no plans for a career change to politician - but it may never be an option given the lack of any obvious farmer support for a proposed Country Party.
The Otago Federated Farmers president said he had not heard of any interest from his members about establishing a rural-based political party, a so-called "Country Party", and said he would not be interested should one be formed.
Some of the organisation's North Island members have aired the idea of forming a Country Party, in part fuelled by anger at the Government's emissions trading scheme (ETS) policy which will impose a cost on polluters from July 1.
Similarly, Southland farmer and federation board member David Rose said he had not heard of any interest from southern members, but said the ETS was a contentious topic among farmers.
"There is a lot of feeling about the ETS that we are handing a competitive advantage to our competitors who have not imposed an ETS on agriculture."
Methane and nitrous oxide from agriculture make up New Zealand's largest greenhouse gas emissions and will be included in the ETS in 2013, but farmers say that other than reducing stock numbers, they have few ways of reducing emissions.
Mr Rose said interest in a Country Party appeared to have come from a few farmers in the North Island, but it was an option that reared its head from time to time.
"I don't know of any meeting to set one up at that level, but it seems to be more out of frustration about the ETS that has got people talking about it."
