The VFF is the only group standing up to defend the rights of farmers and secure their interests. Last year, VFF lobbying delivered $2.4 billion of government investment in infrastructure - that equates to a return of $685 for every $1 members invested through subscriptions and levies.

Over the past 12 - 18 months the VFF has continued to lead the debate on many vital issues with government and within the media:

1. The VFF is standing up to the Government's proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme so that farmers will not be left to foot a multi-million dollar carbon tax bill.


2. Lobbied the Victorian Government to ensure a long term commitment to Victorian food production, the Future Farming Strategy, a $205 million programme including $103 million targeted at improving farm productivity, $11 million for addressing climate change and $3 million for skills development.


3. Obtained a $180 million commitment on Victoria's Rail Freight Network including a complete restoration of key gold and silver freight lines and a rehabilitation of selected bronze lines.


4. Lobbied for boosts to critical regional infrastructure, including $1.2 billion for better regional arterials, $240 million in a boost to maintenance funding for regional roads and significant funding for Auslink2 projects.


5. Lobbied the State and Federal Governments to continue drought support measures for Victorian farmers by extending EC declarations and announcing a new $115 million package of State based drought support.


6. Worked to ensure that the State and Federal Governments gave the green light to the Port Phillip Bay Channel Deepening project which will generate in excess of $2 billion for the Victorian economy over the next thirty years.


7. Continued to lead the debate on the National Plan for Water Security to protect the rights of Victorian irrigators.


8. Supported the applicants through legal proceedings in the Hahnheuser case to protect the $1.8 billion Live Export Trade, so that farmers can get on with the job without fear of environmental activists damaging their businesses.


9. Successfully lobbied the Victorian Government to introduce a $400 rebate for horticulturalists purchasing a Rollover Protection Structure (ROPS)


10. Worked with Agfarm to form the first Victorian grower-owned Grains Brokerage Alliance in Australia's newly deregulated wheat market.


11. Signed off on two significant documents with the Minerals Council of Australia regarding exploration and mining on Victorian private land to protect Victorian farmers in their dealings with the mining industry.


12. The VFF played a vital role in the lifting of the moratorium on GM canola and use of alternative weed management techniques in canola crops.


13. The VFF has negotiated a special price for NLIS cattle tags for Victoria's cattle producers. At $1.65 each, this represents a savings of $2.15 from the price paid interstate and saves the local industry an estimated $1.2 million yearly.


14. The VFF is taking the lead in lobbying the Government about the Fire Services Levy and Native Vegetation Regulation in the upcoming Royal Commission into the Victorian bushfires.

UDV

1. Funding for stock underpasses, farm entrance improvements and power line upgrades.
   
   A subsidy of up to $33,000 per farmer was made available by the State Government to support over and underpass construction.


2. A subsidy of 50 percent off the cost for the improvement of rural property entrances off arterial roads and off local roads to accommodate larger B-Double vehicles.


3. As a service to members, a guide titled,'A Farmers Perspective on Developing your Sharefarming Agreement' was developed as means to help farm owners and sharefarmers set up their sharefarming and leasing agreements, and reduce legal disputes.


4. The UDV was an active partner in developing the 'Dairy Gains Guidelines', the aim of which was to assist dairy farmers comply with environmental legislation, industry and community expectations, as well as potentially improving the productivity and profitability of dairy farms.


5. The UDV lead the first cross industry partnership between the Developing Dairy Communities and Young Dairy Development Program. Funded by the Geoffrey Gardiner Foundation this program already has almost 1000 members across the State.


6. The UDV was instrumental in bringing to the attention of the State Government the large number of New Zealand dairy farmers who had settled in Victoria, facilitated government support for their application for permanent residency at a subsidised cost, and developed a guide, titled 'New Australian Dairy Farmers' to ensure they received the appropriate advise.


7. The UDV has been working closely with the government to resolve the concerns over taking loaded and overloaded silage wagons on the road. This will ensure farmers' continued ability to utilise the same machinery as before, while protecting farmers from the potential for additional cost.

Horticulture

1. The VFF successfully lobbied to have mandatory country of origin labelling on all fresh fruit and vegetables. This has allowed consumers to make informed choices when purchasing fresh fruit and vegetables, which has led to an increase in Australian produce being purchased.


2. Another successful initiative was the Horticulture Produce Agreement (HPA) that ensures trading transparency between wholesalers and growers. The HPA provides the grower with a stable trading environment and access to a clearly defined dispute resolution process.


3. To help growers access much needed reliable seasonal labour, the VFF was instrumental in gaining a visa extension for working holiday makers (back packers) on condition they spent a minimum 3 months working in rural areas. This initiative has helped reduce the problems growers experience in accessing a reliable source of seasonal labour.


4. Due to VFF efforts, the State Government has made available up to $400 rebate per tractor to install roll over protection structures (ROPS), thus reducing the cost of regulatory compliance for growers.

Flowers

1. The VFF was active in lobbying to ensure passage of the State Government's Carlton Gardens Act which ensured the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show was retained in Melbourne. If this premier industry event had been lost, Flowers Victoria would have lost $100,000 in annual show dividends that are returned to the industry and Melbourne would have lost some $10,000,000 in tourism revenue over the show weekend.


2. The VFF is currently active in ensuring the interests of flower growers who trade through the Melbourne Markets are protected in the move from the current West Melbourne site to the new market at Epping. The VFF is working with the Department of Primary Industries and the Melbourne Market Flower Traders Association to achieve this.


3. The VFF worked with the Department of Environment and Heritage over five years to achieve an orderly transition from Methyl Bromide to alternative, environmentally friendly pesticides. The program ensured that production levels of cut flowers were neither interrupted or reduced in size or quality.


4. The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) has acknowledged Flowers Victoria submissions regarding devitalisation of imported cut flowers and is presently tightening up import protocols to ensure that there will be no biosecurity threat to floriculture and horticulture.
   
   Note: devitalisation is the process of dipping cut flowers in a chemical to kill any insects and to render the flower inert


5. To ensure the industry has up to date data to facilitate planning and representation to government, Flowers Victoria has partnered with Deakin University and the Flower Association of Queensland to undertake a National Research Project that will benchmark the industry at the farm gate.

Grains

1. Whilst liberalisation of the wheat marketing framework within Australia proved challenging to growers over the past twelve months, without forceful representation by the VFF in developing the Wheat Marketing Act of 2008, the situation would have been substantially worse if total deregulation had been imposed on the industry.


2. In order, to assist members meet the challenges of deregulation, the VFF was instrumental in gaining government funding to host a series of Wheat Marketing sessions. The sessions helped farmers adapt to the new environment by providing up to date information on the options and choices growers now have to make when marketing their grain.


3. The Agfarm Alliance is another way the VFF Grains Group is helping grain growers adapt to the new marketing environment. The Alliance provides VFF members access to an independent grain broker who will help negotiate the best grain price available on the day from 110 different grain buyers.


4. Pricing information provided by the VFF Grains Group helped save grain growers over $400 per tonne on the cost of their fertiliser. Further lobbying and advocacy for competition in the market will continue to ensure grain growers are not paying too much for their farm inputs.


5. Following the Creasy case in which it was indeterminate in law whether title for grain delivered to bulk handlers was retained by farmers or had transferred to the wholesaler, the VFF was instrumental in getting legislation forged and passed that ensures title for grains delivered to bulk handlers is retained by farmers. Like much of the work the VFF is engaged in, this project took four years to bring to a successful conclusion in support of farmers.


6. VFF lobbying was vital to the lifting of the moratorium on GM canola and use of alternative weed management techniques in their canola crops. The stewardship packages and stringent segregation of GM canola ensures all Victorian canola growers can have the right to choose.


7. Due to the efforts of the VFF, the State Government committed $200 Million to upgrading Victorian's rail lines, which save transportation costs for farmers.

Livestock

1. VFF Livestock is pressing ahead with legal proceedings in the Hahnheuser case as a means to protect the $1.8 billion Live Export Trade, to ensure farmers can go about their business without fear of environmental activists damaging their business, and to make these activists personally accountable for their criminal actions.


2. The VFF Livestock Group continues to represent cattle, sheep and goat producers on the committees that manage industry compensation funds, thus ensuring the $14 million of producers levy are well spent in key areas as, maintaining effective surveillance of new and existing diseases, and to provide financial support for affected farmers in the case of a disease outbreak.


3. The VFF negotiated a special price for NLIS cattle tags for Victoria's cattle producers. At $1.65 each, this represents a savings of $2.15 from the price paid interstate and saves the local industry an estimated $1.2 million yearly.


4. The VFF's long-term support of the Shearer and Shed Hand Training Program has been invaluable to Victorian wool growers. It is a program that develops the skills of shearer's and shed hands, and has been instrumental in attracting many new hands to the industry.


5. By lending support to the marketing of the red meat industry, both domestically and internationally, the VFF has helped build the Australian red meat industry into a $14.6 billion industry. The VFF will continue to work with groups such as Meat and Livestock Australia to develop effective marketing campaigns and lend its support to protect market access for Victorian red meat producers.

Chicken Meat

1. The VFF successfully negotiated significant fee increases for the majority of members in 2008, which increased the average member's gross payment from processors by approximately $10,000 to $15,000 per annum.


2. The improved contract terms provide growers with long-term security and assist growers to negotiate improved finance arrangements, the VFF was again instrumental in negotiating new five year contacts for Baiada and Inghams growers and are now seeking similar contracts for Bartter, La Ionica and Hazeldene growers in 2010. It additional value of these negotiations is estimated at $20,000 per member.


3. The VFF administers the Rural Industries Cooperative (RICL) which provides members with significant discounts on LPG which is estimated to save each member approximately $2,000 per annum.


4. The VFF provided input into the State Government review of the Code of Practice for Broiler Farms, with the objective of improving growers' ability to expand or establish new farms. The estimated value per member is $2,000.


5. The VFF administered the Chicken Care EMS Program, which has helped improve growers' environmental management skills along with the industries public image. The program also reduced odour complaints by over 60%. The estimated value to each member is approximately $1,000.

Eggs

1. The VFF successfully worked with the AECL and major processors to stabilise the supply and wholesale price of eggs, which is estimated to save the industry $7.5 million per year.


2. In conjunction with Department of Primary Industry and Health Services, the VFF co-authored the 'Eggs need TLC' brochure as a means to raise consumer and trade awareness of food safety in handling and storing eggs. The savings from loss of sales from minimising outbreaks of food poisoning, is believed to save the industry an estimated at $10 million per annum.


3. The VFF worked closely with the state government to educate and facilitate adoption of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Domestic Fowl) regulations as a means to retain consumer confidence from attempts by animal activists to besmirch industry practices. This initiative alone is estimated to save the industry upwards of $10 million every time animal activists seek media attention from their activities.


4. Lobbied successfully for the retention of the established Code of Practice for Free Range farming thus saving the industry $2.5 million.


5. The VFF successfully lobbied to retain an established market for worth spent hens worth $2 million per annum, as opposed to being discarded into landfill.

Pigs

1. The VFF was instrumental in ensuring all pigs processed through domestic abattoirs will now be traceable, thereby enabling the industry to isolate quickly any illness or contamination that may occur. The estimated savings to the industry in protecting consumer confidence is estimated at $5 million per incident.


2. The VFF worked with all segments of the industry and supermarket chains to ensure domestically grown pork is clearly labelled, 'Produce of Australia'. This will improve Victorian pig farmer incomes by an estimated $10 million per year.


3. Three members of the VFF's Executive completed the PorkSafe training in relation to biosecurity risk thereby ensuring skilled personnel are available in the event of a disease outbreak.