Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) is welcoming comments made by the premier last week on how the Manitoba government feels about applying a carbon tax to farmers.

In speaking with Golden West Radio, Premier Brian Pallister said that the province stands firmly "against the application of a direct carbon tax on the local producer".

KAP President Dan Mazier was pleased to hear that from the top level of government.

"It's good news as far as coming right from the premier," he said. "We've been only talking through the agriculture minister and David McLaughlin through this. That speaks to the KAP policy as far as competitiveness. Farmers have been always saying that they don't want to be setup so we're uncompetitive with the US or anybody that doesn't have a carbon tax. So it looks like the premier gets that message."

Pallister noted that the federal government is set to release a template of what a Trudeau carbon tax plan would look like if the province's don't come up with their own plan.

The premier stated that a Made-in-Manitoba plan would be released before late fall.