Nathan, this conference itself, the Red Meat Sector Conference, what's the idea of it? What's its primary purpose?

Well, it used to be a three-day conference back in the day, and I think at times it was around Queenstown and skiing.

Now it's very focused.

We start the night before normally with a few cocktails and drinks, but a social gathering.

We have a full-day conference, and we finish with a dinner.

So we're a lot more efficient with our time because – The meat exporters and those officials that are here today, they're busy people.

So the best place for them is to be driving their business.

We've just got to ride the wave a bit, don't we?

What about India? Is there room in India for movement here now that we've got the FTA signed off?

Yes, I'm actually heading up to India with a delegation tonight for about a week involving wool, lamb, apples and kiwi fruit and some honey guys as well meeting us up there.

yes there is an opportunity for us because we're facing a 33 tariff that gets wiped for lamb on the 20th of october so very exciting times i think it'll be a market that'll take a while to work its way through because of supply chain issues got to build relationships but importantly it is massive 700 million meat eaters So hold on to that number.

They could probably take everything we produce, but we're still waiting to see what the price point is.

But it does offer us big opportunities into a fantastic, fast-growing middle class industry.

A very, very interesting opportunity and proposition for our exporters.

In a period of time once they do that, are we in trouble in America or not?

It's a hypothetical.

What about India? Is there room in India for movement here now that we've got the FTA signed off?

Yes, I'm actually heading up to India with a delegation tonight for about a week involving wool, lamb, apples and kiwi fruit and some honey guys as well meeting us up there.

Yes, there is an opportunity for us because we're facing a 33% tariff that gets wiped for lamb on the 20th of October.

So very exciting times.

I think it'll be a market that'll take a while to work its way through because of supply chain issues, got to build relationships.

But importantly, it is massive, 700 million meat eaters.

So hold on to that number.

In a period of time once they do that, are we in trouble in America or not?

What about India? Is there room in India for movement here now that we've got the FTA signed off?

Yes, I'm actually heading up to India with a delegation tonight for about a week involving wool, lamb, apples and kiwi fruit and some honey guys as well meeting us up there.

Yes, there is an opportunity for us because we're facing a 33% tariff that gets wiped for lamb on the 20th of October.

So very exciting times.

I think it'll be a market that'll take a while to work its way through because of supply chain issues, got to build relationships.

But importantly, it is massive, 700 million meat eaters.

So hold on to that number.

In a period of time once they do that, are we in trouble in America or not?

What is your take on Trump opening up 300,000 tonnes of tariff-free beef imports? Is he finally realising tariffs are more than just money for him? There's a bit of an impact out

there.

Well, we didn't see this one coming, but The president is full of surprises.

Yes.

300,000 tonne is a lot.

Just to give you context, our quote is about 213,000.

So it's a sizable chunk of ground beef going in there at a discounted price, about 25% below the market price.

What are these trips about?

What is your take on Trump opening up 300,000 tonnes of tariff-free beef imports? Is he finally realising tariffs are more than just money for him? There's a bit of an impact out

there.

Well, we didn't see this one coming, but The president is full of surprises.

Yes.

300,000 tonne is a lot.

Just to give you context, our quote is about 213,000.

So it's a sizable chunk of ground beef going in there at a discounted price, about 25% below the market price.

What are these trips about?

on the animal welfare it's about a misunderstanding of our production systems say the deforestation the animal welfare thing could be similar right in terms of animals being left outside in winter

That's right.

Well, yes, some could be concerned about that.

Oh, those poor animals in a southerly look really cold.

The reality is our farmers do a fantastic job of feeding their animals, having surplus feed on hand to get them through these colder winter months.

Another one that worries me, Andy, is the sheep meat investigation in the US.

The government with industry work well on forced labour.

Is that conversation continuing under your reign?

It looked like Erica Stanford had the numbers, but the tide seems to have turned this morning, and I'm hearing commentators say, Nathan Guy, the longer this meeting lasts, the better chance Chris Luxon keeping his job.

Who knows? I've been in these situations before, Jamie.

It's not pleasant.

these guys should really be focusing on campaigning and getting out in their electorates and up and down the country talking to people about the issues that matter, not focusing in on internal politics and leadership squabbles.

It's most unfortunate.

Personally, I hope that Christopher Luxon remains the PM.

I've got an amazing relationship with him.

That's

And I'm hearing commentators say, Nathan Guy, the longer this meeting lasts, the better chance Chris Luxon keeping his job.

Who knows? I've been in these situations before, Jamie.

It's not pleasant.

these guys should really be focusing on campaigning and getting out in their electorates and up and down the country talking to people about the issues that matter, not focusing in on internal politics and leadership squabbles.

It's most unfortunate.

Personally, I hope that Christopher Luxon remains the PM.

I've got an amazing relationship with him.

That's

The trade plan going forward, I mean, countries like Bangladesh and Nigeria, it's kind of like it feels like a whole new language, doesn't it? But, you know, Todd McLeague, very pumped up about this in the recent announcement that we've got an opportunity and we need to take it.

Yeah, welcome news for exporters, farmers and processors and the like.

Exciting times.

I think it's great that they've come out with a plan because what it will do is it'll crystallise the minds of senior officials in Wellington, whether that's foreign affairs, primary industries or trade and enterprise, they'll all need to come together and work on this constructive look at opportunities going forward because seven new economies, they're massive.

You talk about Bangladesh and Nigeria.

Well, Bangladesh is a very big dairy market.

mainly powders.

I mean, I would have thought the current Trade Minister can put his hand up and say, job well done.

The trade plan going forward, I mean, countries like Bangladesh and Nigeria, it's kind of like it feels like a whole new language, doesn't it? But, you know, Todd McLeague, very pumped up about this in the recent announcement that we've got an opportunity and we need to take it.

Yeah, welcome news for exporters, farmers and processors and the like.

Exciting times.

I think it's great that they've come out with a plan because what it will do is it will crystallise the minds of senior officials in Wellington, whether that's foreign affairs, primary industries or trade and enterprise, they'll all need to come together and work on this constructive look at opportunities going forward because seven new economies, they're massive.

You talk about Bangladesh and Nigeria.

Well, Bangladesh is a very big dairy market.

mainly powders.

Who takes the most credit for this? I know there's been a sort of, you know, does it really matter at the end of the day? I mean, I would have thought the current Trade Minister can put his hand up and say, job well done.

The trade plan going forward, I mean, countries like Bangladesh and Nigeria, it's kind of like it feels like a whole new language, doesn't it? But, you know, Todd McLeague, very pumped up about this in the recent announcement that we've got an opportunity and we need to take it.

Yeah, welcome news for exporters, farmers and processors and the like.

Exciting times.

I think it's great that they've come out with a plan because what it will do is it'll crystallise the minds of senior officials in Wellington, whether that's foreign affairs, primary industries or trade and enterprise, they'll all need to come together and work on this constructive look at opportunities going forward because seven new economies, they're massive.

You talk about Bangladesh and Nigeria.

Well, Bangladesh is a very big dairy market.

mainly powders.

Who takes the most credit for this? I know there's been a sort of bit, you know, does it really matter at the end of the day? I mean, I would have thought the current Trade Minister can put his hand up and say, job well done.

So after India, who's top of your list? Who do we want one with?

I think out of the list that were announced yesterday, probably Bangladesh, is pretty much ready to go.

They are very engaged with us.

It's a very big dairy market, about $350 million at the moment for Fonterra and others.

So I think that might be first cab off the rank.

It wouldn't surprise me if North African countries like Nigeria are also quite warmed up as well.

Switzerland's an interesting one, very high value market, but small at the moment.

Good thing about this is that it's largely bipartisan free trade, isn't it?

So after India, who's top of your list? Who do we want one with?

I think out of the list that were announced yesterday, probably Bangladesh is pretty much ready to go.

They are very engaged with us.

It's a very big dairy market, about $350 million at the moment for Fonterra and others.

So I think that might be first cab off the rank.

It wouldn't surprise me if North African countries like Nigeria are also quite warmed up as well.

Switzerland's an interesting one, very high value market, but small at the moment.

Good thing about this is that it's largely bipartisan free trade, isn't it?

What have you made of the summit over the past couple of days?

Oh, it's been fantastic.

Um, the mood in the room is one of real optimism.

It's a fantastic time.

When you look across the primary sector, everyone's in the growth phase, and it's taken us a while to get here.

I was reflecting on my time as a farmer and then as a politician, and now leading a few organizations.

It, it's very seldom have we had all the stars aligned.

They're big enough to keep Fonterra absolutely honest.

What have you made of the summit over the past couple of days?

Oh, it's been fantastic.

Um, the mood in the room is one of real optimism.

It's a fantastic time.

When you look across the primary sector, everyone's in the growth phase, and it's taken us a while to get here.

I was reflecting on my time as a farmer and then as a politician, and now leading a few organizations.

It, it's very seldom have we had all the stars aligned.

They're big enough to keep Fonterra absolutely honest

Amen.

Um, and that's not a bad thing.

Um, yeah, y- like you need Jesus.

I need Jesus.

We need Jesus.

And coming along to a, an evening like a our worship evening, it, it puts you in a position, it puts you in a place which, uh, I, I guess just makes it easier-

Um, so how do people find out more? What's the next step?

Yeah.

Nathan, I'm really interested to know about your trips overseas pre-field days and where you've been both wearing the special agricultural trade envoy hat and the MIA.

I went to the US, bounced around Europe and up to the UK.

And I guess if I summarise the US, we had a fantastic celebration of 100 years of red meat exports up into the US, and that was a real showcase for us.

Kate Acklin came up, so we certainly had both ends of the supply chain covered.

We're a little bit concerned about a potential sheep meat investigation, but we're waiting to see on that, and we're well prepared to effectively argue in our corner.

And then in Europe, it's a high quality, high value market there.

And it was an opportunity to say to various countries that supported us through the FTA, 10 years since I was up there as a minister, to say thanks for your support.

nathan um with regards to uh i know obviously being a former minister of agriculture and having a lot of releases of different uh policy announcements last week at field days one thing i did comment on was the government are putting enablers in place for the sector to realize productivity What are you, I mean, obviously you're a former national MP with the leaning, but what are you most excited about government understanding where it actually is meaningful to farmers?

Nathan, I'm really interested to know about your trips overseas pre-field days and where you've been both wearing the Special Agricultural Trade Envoy hat and the MIA.

I went to the U.S., bounced around Europe, and up to the U.K. And I guess if I summarize the U.S., we had a fantastic celebration of 100 years of red meat exports up into the U.S., and that was a real showcase for us.

Kate Acklin came up, so we certainly had both ends of the supply chain covered.

We're a little bit concerned about a potential sheep meat investigation, but we're waiting to see on that, and we're well prepared to effectively argue in our corner.

And then in Europe, it's a high quality, high value market there.

And it was an opportunity to say to various countries that supported us through the FTA, 10 years since I was up there as a minister, to say thanks for your support.

wonderful opportunities and a few challenges in that market eudr being one that's basically the deforestation regulation coming through their race gene and also plastics i'm quite concerned about the plastics regulations that are coming in yes we're all part of and all playing our part for single reuse plastic and recycling but the reality is we think about a red meat parcel of meat, it takes three different layers of plastic for us to take that to market.

What are you, I mean, obviously you're a former national MP with the leaning, but what are you most excited about government understanding where it actually is meaningful to farmers?

Now, you're just back from a trade trip to the U.S., the EU, and the U.K., And of course, was it yesterday or the day before we had Trump announcing a new range of tariffs? He's just trying to skin the cat in a different way.

Yes, we always knew that this was a possibility.

We hoped it wouldn't happen.

And talking to all the experts over there, no one really knows what's next coming out of the Oval Office.

This was an investigation on forced labour.

We know we haven't got any of that in our supply chain.

If anything like that happens untoward, it's dealt with very quickly.

What are you getting? What messaging are you getting from our markets?

Now, you're just back from a trade trip to the U.S., the EU, and the U.K., And of course, was it yesterday or the day before we had Trump announcing a new range of tariffs? He's just trying to skin the cat in a different way.

Yes, we always knew that this was a possibility.

We hoped it wouldn't happen.

And talking to all the experts over there, no one really knows what's next coming out of the Oval Office.

This was an investigation on forced labour.

We know we haven't got any of that in our supply chain.

If anything like that happens untoward, it's dealt with very quickly.

What are you getting? What messaging are you getting from our markets?

Now, you're just back from a trade trip to the U.S., the EU, and the U.K., And of course, was it yesterday or the day before we had Trump announcing a new range of tariffs? He's just trying to skin the cat in a different way.

Yes, we always knew that this was a possibility.

We hoped it wouldn't happen.

And talking to all the experts over there, no one really knows what's next coming out of the Oval Office.

This was an investigation on forced labour.

We know we haven't got any of that in our supply chain.

If anything like that happens untoward, it's dealt with very quickly.

What are you getting? What messaging are you getting from our markets?

What do you mean by that and what can we actually do about that?

That's a really good question.

We kicked that along at our manifesto launch in the Beehive about a month ago.

We just wanted all politicians to be aware there are some low-hanging fruit in amongst that one.

I think it's 1.7 billion, 1.5.

It changes a little bit.

MPI and MFAT have been doing a good job, and we want to help them do an even better job.

That

What do you mean by that and what can we actually do about that?

That's a really good question.

We kicked that along at our manifesto launch in the Beehive about a month ago.

We just wanted all politicians to be aware there are some low-hanging fruit in amongst that one.

I think it's 1.7 billion, 1.5.

It changes a little bit.

MPI and MFAT have been doing a good job and we want to help them do an even better job.

That

Um, so Nathan, tell us a bit what Sherrin have, have kindly done for us.

Yeah, absolutely.

So, um, thanks for having me in today, guys.

And, um, we're really excited to be partnered with SEN and with Fireball specifically.

Um, we're here to give away, uh, 70 Fireball-

[laughs]

Um, it's all about giving back to grassroots footy, all about community footy because that's what, you know, Sherrin really is in the heartland of footy all across Australia.

We've got, um, partnerships with over 60 leagues and associations from, you know, grassroots and Auskick all the way up to the big leagues here in, in Australia, all across the country.