Brett Hosking announces Victorian Farmers Federation candidacy

Quambatook grain grower Brett Hosking will challenge Werribee egg producer Danyel Cucinotta for the presidency of the Victorian Farmers Federation.

Quambatook grain grower Brett Hosking will challenge Werribee egg producer Danyel Cucinotta for the presidency of the Victorian Farmers Federation.

Both candidates face challenges with the VFF’s finances, membership and relationship with the nation’s peak commodity councils and National Farmers’ Federation. Voting opens on November 25

Mr Hosking said that if elected he would “re-establish the VFF’s relationships with the NFF and peaks”.

“(But) what form that takes may be different or the same, depending on the VFF’s finances.”

Brett Hosking will challenge for the VFF presidency. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

The VFF last month announced it would quit the NFF, saying it was “out of alignment” with the national lobby and cannot support it in its current form.
Mr Hosking said he had no insights into the VFF financials for the 12 months to September 30, which will not be published until late December, well after voting closes on

December 6.

The VFF’s audited annual reports state membership has dropped from 4846 in 2021 to 3962 in 2022, to 3835 by September 30 last year, with the latest estimates putting the number at close to 2500, after an exodus of member frustrated with the board’s performance.

Ms Cucinotta, who announced her candidacy last month after serving four years as VFF vice president, said she wanted to promote the positive work of farmers to a new generation, which she said was critical at a time when a range of factors were working against agriculture.

Danyel Cucinotta wants the top job at the VFF, after four years as vice-president.

“I’ve been so fortunate to sit in such a prestigious position as vice president over the past four years – it’s been an absolute honour,” she said.

“It’s a really exciting time for the VFF. Obviously the VFF undergone some serious transformation in the past four years — love it, loathe it — it’s absolutely undergone it.

“I’m a third-generation egg farmer. In my business, I love problem-solving, I love efficiencies and I want to take that business approach to the role of VFF president.”

At 32, Ms Cucinotta would be the VFF’s youngest-ever president if successful in December, pipping the 2009 record held by then 33-year-old Andrew Broad.

Meanwhile VFF Livestock Group councillor Peter Star, who led the VFF’s campaign to block the pro-dingo lobby ending wild dog control in Victoria, has thrown his hat into the ring to become VFF vice-president on a joint ticket with Mr Hosking.

“There needs to be change at the top of the tree, because the VFF needs to be put back on track”.

Mr Star has been on the VFF Livestock group for six years, vice-president for last two, spent four years on the board off Cattle Council and chair of the Cattle Australia Implementation Committee, as well as 13 years as captain of the Talgarno CFA

Mr Star also spent six months on the VFF board, until July last year when he joined Grains Group president Craig Henderson and intensive industries representative Meg Parkinson in resigning as directors, due to what they called “a lack of positive culture at the board and a lack of consultation with either the board or members – including preparation of the new draft constitution”.

Other nominations include Bernie Free who has renominated for a second term as president of the United Dairyfarmers of Victoria and Scott Young who has renominated as VFF livestock president.

Operating a farm at Winslow, north of Warrnambool, Mr Free said his group’s advocacy on green drought relief was one of the policy goals he wanted to continue to pursue.

“It’s been a tough time for dairy no doubt, so I want to continue to advocate for a better deal for farmers,” he said.

Mr Young said he would renominate to advocate on issues such as kangaroo control as well as drought management.