Victorian Farmers Federation keen for dairy, chicken meat committee reconciliation

New VFF president Brett Hosking says he’s keen to bring dairy and chicken meat lobby groups back into the federation.

Breakaway commodity groups from Victorian Farmers Federation are engaging in informal talks with new VFF president Brett Hosking, following a series of high profile departures earlier in the decade.

In November 2021, then VFF chicken meat group president Vince Croston and committee colleagues left the federation to establish a new body called the Victorian Chicken Growers Council.

Similarly, in September 2023, then United Dairyfarmers of Victoria president Mark Billing along with other UDV members formed a new entity called Dairy Farmers Victoria, independent of the VFF.

Mr Hosking said bringing dairy and chicken meat leaders back into the VFF fold would take time but he was encouraged by informal discussions since his elevation to the presidency last month.

“We’ll do whatever we can to work with our commodity groups and we’re already having this informal discussions,” he said.

“The VFF has federation in its name for a reason. We work best when we’re a federation of commodity groups, pursuing shared interests on behalf of all Victorian farmers.

“Leaders in the dairy and chicken meat commodities will make up their own minds but things are heading the right way, there’s some positivity starting the new year and I’m sure we can make progress in working together.”

Mr Croston was contacted by The Weekly Times.

Former VFF chicken meat group vice-president Owen Shaw said: “I personally wish Brett all the best in his endeavours. Traditional family farming under extreme pressure on many fronts and all farmers should be part of a representative group.”

In recent weeks, both current United Dairyfarmers of Victoria president Bernie Free and Dairy Farmers Victoria president Mr Billing conceded some form of reunification of the disparate dairy groups was unlikely in 2025.