Farming representatives have been told that the contentious Emissions Trading Scheme may help New Zealand keep access to some of its export markets.

Federated Farmers wants the current scheme put on hold until  other countries' intentions for reducing green house gases are more transparent.

It's worried the costs to agriculture will increase when the sector joins the scheme in 2015.

However, Foreign Affairs and Trade secretary John Allen, who spoke to the Federation's Meat and Fibre Council in Wellington, says farmers should look at the ETS from a marketing perspective, and think about the opportunity it presents to take high value positions in wealthy markets in Europe and the UK.

Federated Farmers Meat & Fibre Chairman Bruce Wills says the ETS issue was just one of the many subjects discussed  at their conference.

 “We’re sitting on a knife edge a little bit, we still have to keep moving and get some structural change in both wool and meat to take advantage of those better prices,” said Mr. Wills.

Agriculture Minister David Carter says the Government will review the ETS legislation twice before the 2015 deadline for agriculture joining the scheme.

The Minister says it will be scrapped if it puts New Zealand at a disadvantage to its trading competitors.