Browning Steffan: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers Questions to MembersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeBrowning Steffan: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members[Sitting date: 19 August 2015. Volume:707;Page:5936. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]7.STEFFAN BROWNING (Green) to the Minister for Primary Industries: Will he reinstate the Organics Advisory Programme given the value of organic whole milk powder is more than five times that of conventionally-produced whole milk powder and his vision for “premium value-added products”?Hon NATHAN GUY (Minister for Primary Industries): No I am not intending to reinstate the Organic Advisory Programme. My belief is that farmers are innovative. They read market signals well and if organic whole-milk powder prices are five times the value of conventional milk powder prices then many might choose to convert to organic production themselves. The role of the Government is not to advise farmers on what they should be growing based on current market signals; farmers are more than capable of making those decisions for themselves.Steffan Browning: I seek leave to table an email dated Friday 7 August between Fonterra and an organic milk processor.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that email. Is there any objection? There is none. It can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.Steffan Browning: Given that organic milk powder is quoted at $14600 per tonne by Fonterra over conventional milk powder at just $2800 per tonne a 500 percent premium why will he not reinstate the Organic Advisory Programme to help farmers who want to move into organic milk production?Hon NATHAN GUY: If the member listened to my primary answer he would have understood exactly what he was saying. The Greens are very confused about dairy farming. Last week we had James Shaw who was in here saying that the Government was not doing enough to help distressed dairy farmers. Then we had Catherine Delahunty who is out there saying we should have a moratorium on dairy farming in New Zealand and now we have this member proposing to say that actually conventional dairy farmers should all convert to organic dairy farms. I think the Greens are confused and should get together on their particular messaging.Steffan Browning: Given that Oceania Dairy is currently asking farmers to supply organic milk for the Chinese market how will the Government help farmers ensure that they can easily convert from high-impact conventional milk production to organic farming?Hon NATHAN GUY: If the member was in the real world he would understand that a lot of that information is publicly available. He is more or less saying that he is dumbing down farmers by saying that they cannot read market signals and they do not understand how to convert from conventional farming to organic farming when in actual fact farmers do that on a regular basis. He should actually be out there saying that there are market signals. If farmers want to convert to organic farming there is a huge amount of information available. He should be out there encouraging that instead of being so critical of what the Government is doing to help dairy farmers in New Zealand who are currently facing a pretty tough time.Steffan Browning: Will the Government commit to reviewing the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act to incentivise demand for organic milk which will benefit both the sector and the environment?Hon NATHAN GUY: If the member kept up to speed with what is happening in the dairy industry we have already commenced a review of the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act with the Commerce Commission and that report will be released next year. I am sure the member would be very interested in the findings.