Sutton in hot seat over farm tax

By LIAM DANN

Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton is expected to cop a rowdy reception when he opens the Federated Farmers national conference in Auckland tomorrow.

Farmers angry about the proposed animal gas emissions levy are understood to be planning a demonstration timed for Sutton's arrival. He is scheduled to formally open the two-day conference at 10.30am.

Rallying opposition to the levy would be one of the hot topics for discussion at the annual meeting, said Federated Farmers vice-president Charlie Pedersen.

The Government is proposing to raise $8.4 million from farmers to fund research into animal gas emissions.

Jim Sutton will be the sole Government representative after Environment Minister Pete Hodgson declined an invitation to attend.

Most of the farmer anger over the levy has so far been directed at the Environment Minister.

Hodgson had initially indicated he would attend, Pedersen said.

He said the failure of Hodgson to front up to farmers had left him "fairly jaundiced about his attitude to consultation".

Hodgson indicated last week that he would be happy to meet farmers but said that any meeting would be dependent on his schedule.

A full diary was the reason given for his absence.

The minister probably wouldn't have got a particularly positive response from farmers had he attended, Pedersen conceded.

"He may have made a pragmatic decision not to be there."

There was a general feeling that the Government wasn't listening to farmers and they were ready to let their feelings be known in no uncertain terms.

"We're under a fair bit of pressure to facilitate some kind of national action."

There had been talk of driving tractors from either end of the country to meet up on the steps of Parliament, he said.

Farmers generally had a pretty good relationship with Sutton so it would be interesting to see what sort of reaction he got, Pedersen said.

National Party leader Bill English will address the conference tomorrow.