The Victorian Farmers Federation is disappointed with the Victorian Government%u2019s deal with the Commonwealth Government to exempt 60,000 megalitres outside of the 4 percent water trading cap.

VFF Water Council Chairman Richard Anderson said that the VFF had always supported a consultative approach which did not appear to have been followed in this circumstance.

“Farmers have supported targeted buybacks in the past. It is disappointing that this deal has been struck without consultation and without an agreement being reached with the communities involved,” Mr Anderson said.

“It would appear that there have been no consultation or criteria set down by either government on what constitutes a targeted buyback.”

“While the VFF acknowledges the financial pressures on Victorian irrigators, and is sympathetic to the desire to realise their assets, the loss of large volumes of water to the Commonwealth Government will have significant impacts on Victorian agricultural communities,” Mr Anderson concluded.

Full report in The Weekly Times this week.