Dairy farmers revolt against VFF cuts to staff and resources

Southwest dairy farmers are fighting to regain control of the levies they pay the Victorian Farmers Federation.

Tyrendarra Bruce Knowles says VFF cutbacks to United Dairyfarmers of Victoria’s staff and resources is “a disgrace and crazy”.

The United Dairyfarmers of Victoria’s southwest branches have embarked on a campaign to regain control of the levies they pay to the Victorian Farmers Federation.

The Colac, Wannon and Corangamite branches met last week, in what Wannon branch policy councillor Bruce Knowles described as a strategy meeting, to determine how the UDV could regain the resources and staff it needed to function, after they were stripped away by the VFF board.

“We’re big contributors to the VFF, yet we effectively have no-one employed to do UDV policy work,” Mr Knowles said. “It’s a disgrace and crazy.”

Cracks in the UDV’s relationship have widened over recent months after it was revealed VFF president Emma Germano had written to Australian Dairy Farmers president Rick Gladigau stating the federation would cease paying its “exorbitant” $360,000 in annual fees.

The Weekly Times understands ADF has sought payment.

VFF president Emma Germano said the current membership fee to the ADF was unsustainable.

“The VFF is yet to receive justification from ADF as to why each VFF UDV member is being asked to pay fees more than 10 times higher than other commodity for their national advocacy. The VFF has asked ADF to provide a value proposition and realistic funding model ... the VFF is still waiting for a response.”

UDV president Mark Billing said members voted in 2011 to raise their levies to fund the ADF.

“It’s important that ADF and VFF sit down and talk about it, as it’s dairy farmers’ money,” he said.

Mr Billing said the VFF board’s decision to cut ADF funding had occurred without meeting the UDV’s request for a consultative review.

The tensions over resourcing and ADF funding led Wannon Branch to pass a resolution at last week’s meeting seeking “to ensure dairy farmers regain sovereignty of our dairy advocacy in Victoria”.

The meeting also agreed to establish a joint committee to work with other commodities to regain control of their funds, passing a resolution that if that failed they would go it alone.

They also passed motions agreeing to:

WORK with ADF on funding options in view of VFF ceasing funding.

CONSULT the UDV policy council and seek support for the option being considered.

CONSULT other state dairy bodies as appropriate given the deliberations of the committee.

CALL for submissions on any or all aspects of the terms of reference from farmers and UDV members.

REPORT back to a meeting of UDV members in four months.