The VFF remodelled its advocacy focus at its annual conference at the MCG on July 24 and 25.
Delegates heard from 23 speakers including Victoria’s Agriculture Minister Gayle Tierney, who outlined the government’s commitment to supporting the state’s food and fibre industries.
Ms Tierney said the government’s funding initiatives included animal and plant pest and disease readiness and increased support for TAFE agriculture courses.
“This is making it easier than ever for students to afford and access courses in agriculture and horticulture,” she said.
“There has been a significant upturn in enrolments, proving that a job and a career in agriculture is something to be proud of, that it’s a career that people actively seek out.”
Ms Tierney told Country News that innovation was also of importance in agriculture.
“Victoria punches well above its weight and we need innovation so we can be more productive in what we produce and what we make.”
She would not be drawn into discussing the possibility of breakaway advocacy groups and said that was a matter for the VFF to resolve.
“What we want is people on the ground having the ability to talk to whoever they believe is best placed to represent them.”
The conference also heard from the chairs of the VFF’s six policy councils.
Workforce and social infrastructure chair Nathan Free said the Federal Government’s industrial regulation reforms were going to impact on farm production.
Mr Free said the proposed “same job, same pay” policy was going to put agricultural businesses at risk.
“Anyone in this room will be having workforce issues and concerns and Mr Albanese’s reforms are really going to affect how we work on our farms,” he said.
“Hired workers are to be paid the same rate as permanent staff who have higher skills, which is a scary thing.
“This can also affect owner-drivers in the transport sector and could force them out of their business.”
Mr Free also challenged changes to the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme and said the VFF offered an alternative balanced and pragmatic system.
“Imposition of the minimal hours required means that farmers will be burdened with additional costs without the benefits of labour.
“Ultimately it will result in farmers turning away from the PALM scheme.”
Water Council chair Andrew Leahy outlined the status of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan and described its outcome to date as “disastrous”, citing that $850 million will be lost in agricultural production in the southern basin
“We do not support the covering of the 450 Gl shortfall with further buybacks,” he said.
“We need greater flexibility in delivering the efficiency programs from the government who must maintain the socio-economic test as agreed to by all state governments.”
The VFF is one of more than 200 advocacy groups in Australia which have a collective operating cost of $100 milion a year.
President Emma Germano recognised that such groups competed for advocacy resources and space and that the VFF board had signed off on a new policy and strategy to take the organisation forward.
“It provides a clear and coherent framework that our members and our staff can work to and more importantly can provide something we can evaluate our work against,” Ms Germano said.
“If we are to ensure that the VFF remains relevant both to the farming community and to the decision makers in both government and industry, we must be focused on outcomes.”
One of the key objectives of the VFF was to be recognised as a leader for agricultural and regional policy solutions.
Ms Germano said the VFF would advocate in the next two years with six key campaigns, including renewable energy, maintenance of regional roads, biosecurity, animal welfare, the Murray-Darling buyback scheme and farm safety.
The construction of transmission lines on farmers’ properties is part of the Victorian Government’s renewable energy scheme and is facing much opposition.
Ms Germano said that the VFF had to ensure that farmers were not going to bear the cost of development for electricity use in the city.
“We are now being forced into a conversation as to whether we need to produce food or keep the lights on,” Ms Germano said.
Two of six resolutions proposed for the conference addressed transmission line construction.
One of the resolutions was for the VFF to reject the fast-tracking of the VNI-West transmission project until assurances were given by the government that issues with insurance liability, fire safety and financial and legal risk were addressed.
Another resolution was opposition to government plans for the VNI-West link to not connect with the local grids that the transmission lines passed through, with nominees saying that access to farming land was being exploited without consent and with minimal consultation.
Both resolutions were passed.