VFF cuts funding to peak industry bodies

The decision for the Victorian Farmers Federation to relinquish funding to peak industry councils came as a surprise to many, but none more so than to VFF Livestock Council President Scott Young. 

Mr Young told APlus News that the council, which represents livestock producers across the state, did not endorse the decision. 

“In fact, in recent weeks at a meeting of the VFF’s Livestock Council we voted to continue the current funding arrangements,” he said. 

“After much discussion on the topic of funding for the peak industry councils it was decided to continue the current funding arrangements as they are. 

“We don’t agree with the approach that has been taken by the VFF board to totally cut off the funding without taking the livestock council’s position into account.” 

On Tuesday the VFF board of directors sent a communique to members outlining it would be ceasing membership of Cattle Australia, Goat Industry Council of Australia, Grain Producers Australia, NFF Horticulture Council, Sheep Producers Australia, Wool Producers Australia and Australian Dairy Farmers to achieve savings of about $700,000 annually. 

“We are concerned the national agricultural advocacy model is fundamentally broken. We will not force Victorian farmers to continue funding an unsustainable and ineffective model that delivers duplication and fails to meet the needs of Victorian agriculture,” it read. 

The announcement also drew ire for being sent to members at the same time a podcast covering the issue was dropped, and just hours after the peak industry councils were informed of the changes. 

The member communique also read: “While this decision is ultimately aimed at reducing inefficiencies and ensuring the VFF has resource allocation to focus on the core business of state-based policy and advocacy, we hope this move will trigger reform across other organisations in the outdated national advocacy structure.” 

Queensland farmers not planning to follow VFF 

The VFF is not supported in the move by AgForce, with its Chief Executive Officer Michael Guerin on Wednesday saying it was always looking for efficiencies, but it was not contemplating removing memberships of peak industry councils. 

“We’re a strong and loyal member of the NFF family and within the AgForce structure we have commodity councils with commodity autonomy who persecute national issues through the national peak bodies,” Mr Guerin said. 

He also confirmed that AgForce didn’t expect any other state farming organisations to take “unilateral action” on the issue. 

"Within the NFF family we have pathways, whatever the issue is, at a national level, without a scheme to invest direct assets ourselves, and we pay a membership for access to that,” he said. 

“It's a small membership in the scheme of what we get and the resources we get, which we can lean into when we need to. 

“A current example is the live sheep debarkle, where we know that cattle are right behind sheep.

“So we are using significant national resources to support and contribute to a campaign to save the live sheep export trade, because it's important to Queensland cattle producers that they're not at front of the queue for this anti-farming system which is attempting to close down live sheep. 

He said AgForce was in a strong and stable financial position. 

Sheep Producers Australia responds 

Sheep Producers Australia Chair, Andrew Spencer, reassured Victorian sheep producers they would continue to be represented. 

“Our role is to advocate for a sustainable and profitable future for the Australian sheep industry,” Mr Spencer said. 

“This is achieved through Sheep Producers Australia’s Policy Council and Board, working with our members, service providers, government, and many other partners.  

“We will be working hard to ensure that Victorian sheep farmers continue to have a strong and relevant input into the critical national sheep meat policy issues.”