UPDATE: A motion to change the constitution of the Victorian Farmers Federation has been defeated.

The proposed changes - which many members argued eroded commodity groups' rights and handed greater control to the federation's board - garnered just 56 per cent of support at an extraordinary general meeting in Melbourne today.

For the motion to pass, 75 per cent of support was required.

According to a VFF spokesman, 302 delegates were eligible to vote at today's EGM, with 252 votes cast. One hundred and forty votes were cast in favour of the changes, with 112 against.

The central council of the VFF's largest commodity group, the United Dairyfarmers of Victoria, had vigorously opposed the constitutional reforms.

Former UDV president Ivan Jones mounted a vigorous attack on the consitutional changes arguing they were "an insult to members and emasculated'' the commodity groups.

Members attacked the new constitution's proposal to terminate district councils, end the delegate voting system, allowing proxy votes at annual general meetings and granting the VFF board new powers on commodity group policy and agenda setting.

Those who supported the constituion said members needed to trust the board they voted in and let them get on with the job or restructuring the organisation in prepartation for a year when the Victorian and most probably Federal Governments would call elections.

VFF president Andrew Broad called on farmers at the EGM to nominate a committee from the floor to work with the VFF board to help redraft the constitution for it to be re-presented to at the VFF's mid-year AGM.

The eight-member committee, representing a range of commodity groups has until the end of next month to help redraft the constitution in a form acceptable to 75 per cent of members attending AGM.