Dean Jacqui: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeDean Jacqui: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 12 August 2015. Volume:707;Page:5707. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]11.JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki) to the Minister for Primary Industries: What recent reports has he seen on growth in beef exports?Hon NATHAN GUY (Minister for Primary Industries): Recent reports show that beef prices are currently at record highs and that New Zealand exporters look set to fill our US beef quota for the first time in history. Rabobank is forecasting that US demand for New Zealand beef will be positive for the next 3 to 4 years due to an anticipated shortage of beef exports from Australia due to drought and with the US herd still rebuilding. These high beef prices are also offering some relief for dairy farmers who are culling low-performing cows.Jacqui Dean: What initiatives is the Government undertaking to support our red meat sector?Hon NATHAN GUY: The Government will continue supporting the red meat sector through an extensive programme of research and development and increasing trade market access. The red meat portfolio is the largest in the Primary Growth Partnership with a total committed investment of around $357 million between industry and the Government. One example is the FoodPlus programme which already has 12 new value-added products commercialised. One health product sold out within days when trialled in the US. According to research by Beef and Lamb New Zealand our free-trade agreements with China and Taiwan helped save $161 million in lower tariffs last year for the sector. Earlier this year we signed the free-trade agreement with Korea which will progressively make beef and lamb exports tariff-free. This is going to be worth around $17 million in beef exports. I congratulate Minister Groser on his work in this area.Ron Mark: Why then given the Food and Agriculture Organization found that overall prices of meat have stabilised has the Minister been missing in action when it comes to the farmer-led solutions advanced by Meat Industry Excellence?Hon NATHAN GUY: No I have not been. I am well engaged with rural communities. I am well engaged with farmers on this particular issue. What I have said is that if there is a clear strategy that links processes and farmers together my door is always open. I do not see a clear strategy at this point but I am heartened to see that farmers have the opportunity to mobilise and get on the boards of the two co-ops that the farmers own and control. Further discussions are under way that could lead to some rationalisation in the red meat sector in the future. We wait with interest.Ron Mark: So having previously encouraged Meat Industry Excellence and all members of the industry to collaborate talk and resolve issues is his inaction such as we are seeing the reason that the Ministry for Primary Industries is ranked 14th in this Government’s Cabinet?Hon NATHAN GUY: Oh how ridiculous! If New Zealand First members cared about our rural communities they would not be protesting outside today with those Trans-Pacific Partnership protesters.Ron Mark: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. That did not address the question. That did not address the question.Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member needs to go back and carefully look at his question. When he accuses a Minister of inaction he is likely to get the response that he got.