THE Victorian Farmers Federation board is risking the lobby group's collapse after trying to muzzle the leader of its largest commodity group.

Dairy farmers are incensed at the VFF board's attempts to gag their United Dairyfarmers of Victoria president Chris Griffin from commenting on a divisive report outlining a growing tide of anger at the VFF's attitude and performance.

Some UDV members warn the VFF board's latest actions against Mr Griffin risk a damaging walkout.

The threat follows moves by the UDV to explore an alternative model to VFF representation, where it would become the largest state division of the Australian Dairy Farmers lobby group.

The issue came to a head last week when members of a UDV working group released a report warning members the VFF's corporate style of governance had led to a "situation where the UDV central council has little or no control over anything".

One of the group's key concerns was that the UDV had lost its independence when it and other commodity groups were persuaded to hand over their financial and staffing independence to the VFF in 2002.

"(We) believe the proposed new VFF constitution will enshrine this emasculation of the UDV," the working group stated in its report.

When The Weekly Times contacted Mr Griffin for comment on the report he said he would need to consult his lawyers.

The Weekly Times believes members of the VFF executive board warned Mr Griffin he would be breaching his legal obligations as a VFF director if he commented on his own commodity group's report.

Mr Griffin was subsequently put under pressure by the VFF executive to sign a letter to key UDV members supporting the constitutional reforms. He ultimately refused to sign the letter, despite it stating the executive board had decided it would be "undersigned by the UDV president and VFF president".

Only VFF president Andrew Broad's signature appears on the letter, which repeatedly argues in favour of the new VFF constitution and calls on UDV central councillors and district councils to support the reforms.

Mr Griffin said he did not want to comment further on the issue.

However Mr Broad said Mr Griffin agreed to sign the letter at the board meeting but later decided not to sign.

"After the (board) meeting he changed his mind," Mr Broad said. "We will not force someone to sign something they don't want to. There's been no bullying here."

However UDV member Ian Cobbledick said the VFF executive's behaviour was "absolutely uncalled for".

"It demonstrates to me that the board in itself is inexperienced and the organisation is under extreme pressure," Mr Cobbledick said.

The UDV central council is yet to determine its response to its working group's report. But its decision will be crucial to the adoption of the VFF's new constitution at an extraordinary general meeting on February 24.