MIRBOO North vegetable grower and sheep and beef producer, Emma Germano, wasn’t just making up the numbers when she was elected as the Victorian Farmers Federation’s first woman president in 30 years.
She’s already challenged many of the practices and conventions of the peak farming organisation in the state, so it wasn’t a great surprise to see the VFF give notice it intends to resign from the National Farmers Federation, unless significant reforms are made with policy development, advocacy and the costs of affiliation.
Speaking on ABC Country Hour on Monday this week, after sending the VFF’s letter of resignation, in 12 months; time, to the NFF on Thursday, Ms Germano explained why.
Key among the issues is the $220,000 in fees they pay to the NFF and the fact that while the funding was scaled back to $40,000 while the VFF restructures its finances, its voting rights at the NFF have been suspended.
The lack of notice and organisation around the recent protest in Canberra didn’t help either.
ABC Country Hour presenter Warwick Long asked Ms Germano: “What did it take to get to this?”
“To put it really simply, and you know, the letter has now been made public, essentially that we sent to the NFF, we're saying this has been an unfair system for some time. It no longer serves the VFF essentially paying the lion’s share of national advocacy, and it's not fair on our members,” Ms Germao said.
“It's not fair on us as an organisation. We've raised it in many forums, looking for some meaningful change, and that hasn't happened.
“And ultimately, we're trying to set up the future board and appreciate that nominations have been called for. We're trying to set a future board up with some choices. And of course, everybody knows that we're in court with ADF, on the basis of whether or not, when we started talking about the unfairness, whether or not it constituted proper notice. And I just don't want the VFF in that same position in 12 months’ time.”
Asked how much the VFF was paying in fees generally, Ms German said in the order of $850,000, but that it wasn’t just the total it was the fact that those fees went around to other organisations that the VFF was already paying to be affiliated with.
“We're talking about, you know, $850,000 a year, $750,000 a year of members’ money going directly into other organisations. And, I'm not saying for a second that other organisations shouldn't exist or that they don't have a really important place in advocacy. That's not our point.
“It's just that it can't be relied upon for the VFF to fund multiple groups, and often, where money is being passed on. We pay a membership to peak councils, and they're paying a membership to the NFF.
“I think it's unfair on the state farming organisations to be collecting money from members, and sometimes the members don't even realise how much of that money that they're paying us, is getting passed on.
“I believe wholeheartedly that we need a unified national voice. So, this is about making sure that that's done properly with proper governance, and that it is fair for everyone.
“It is not us saying that there doesn't need to be a national voice. And to be frank, the conversation has been going on for years, and it seems like despite all of the requests and the conversations and the forums and the councils and everything that exists, nothing ever seems to change.
“And again, we just don't want to be in a position where we've got an ongoing liability of $220,000 a year. That's not fair on VFF members. It's not fair on the VFF itself, where we need to ensure that we've got enough resources to swim in our own lane as it's being put, and make sure that we're doing really great advocacy at a state level.”
Ms Germano rejected claims being made by NFF President, Victorian grain and livestock producer David Jochinke that the VFF had deliberately failed to attend a workshop in Canberra last week, prior to submitting its resignation or that the move was a tactic to force the reforms the VFF wanted to see.
She did say that the VFF had offered to outline some of the changes that were needed but this idea had so far been rejected.
Mr Jochinke said the NFF would, however, continue to work with members, including the VFF, on a professional and structured process to ensure Australia’s farm advocacy model was fit for purpose without addressing the specific issues raised by the VFF.
“The NFF is committed to leading Australian agriculture and providing effective representation to all farmers, including those in Victoria. The NFF will take appropriate steps to ensure it can continue to provide a well-run advocacy voice for Victorian farmers at the National level.”
By including a 12-month lead time into its resignation letter, the VFF is leaving open the potential for reconciliation and the election of a new president and new board, at the end of Ms Germano’s term later this year, offers the opportunity for that.
In the meantime, however, advocacy on national agriculture issues lacks the strength of a united voice which could prove crucial in upcoming negotiations.
Nominations are now open for the positions of VFF President, VFF Vice-President, UDV President, Livestock Group President, Livestock Group Vice President and members of the Livestock Commodity Council.
Key dates:
- October 11, 2024: Nominations close
- October 16, 2024: Notice of election
- November 18-20, 2024: Online/requested postal ballots distributed
- November 25, 2024: Voting open
- December 6, 2024: Voting closes
- December 20, 2024: Election results announced
