NEW Greens leader Christine Milne has vowed to work with farmers.

During her first press conference as leader, following the resignation of Bob Brown today, Senator Milne said she would increase the dialogue between the Greens and rural people.

READ MORE: Bob Brown resigns from parliament 

Senator Milne said rural communities would be “the backbone of environmental sustainability and protection”.

“I’ll be going out there as a country person to say it’s time Greens and rural and regional Australia … work together,” Senator Milne said.

“If farmers are to produce food, we need to make sure they can stay on their farms. The Greens and bush have misunderstood for some time. I’m going to try to put that right.”

Senator Milne warned the mining industry had too much political power and accused the Government and opposition of being willing to “push out of the way every environmental protection communities have fought for” in order to please miners.

The agreement with the government, which Senator Milne was a signatory to, will stand as written.

Senator Milne said she’d engage with progressive businesses.

She also slammed opposition leader Tony Abbott for his “negative” dialogue.

Senator Brown said he was leaving the Greens in “very safe hands”.

He said the Greens were on a “trajectory” to one day become a government.