THE Victorian Farmers Federation will make a second bid at reforming the state's peak farmer lobby group.
VFF president Andrew Broad and his board failed to gain the 75 per cent support of members needed to pass a new constitution at an extraordinary general meeting in Melbourne last week.
Just 57 per cent voted in favour of the changes, with many members concerned about the termination of district councils, delegate voting, and commodity group rights.
Mr Broad urged more than 300 farmers at the EGM to redraft the constitution by the end of March in order for it to be put to the vote again at the June 24 annual general meeting.
The reforms that caused the greatest debate were:
- The abolition of District Councils. Members of the VFF's largest commodity group - the United Dairyfarmers of Victoria - opposed the termination of district councils, arguing they were a training ground for industry leaders. Other VFF grains and livestock members argued they were unnecessary and costly.
- Commodity leader appointment to the board no longer a guaranteed right. Dairy farmers opposed the new clauses that gave the VFF president and two "external persons" the right to review and recommend commodity council nominations to the federation's board. A last-minute amendment to the draft constitution failed to satisfy dairy farmers who demanded the constitution clearly stated their nomination to the board was an "as of right position".
- All commodity group's annual meeting recommendations requiring approval by the VFF's agenda committee. Dairy farmers opposed this. The Policy Council to review and approve all recommendations submitted for debate at a branch, commodity group or annual general meeting. Dairy farmers refused to accept the VFF's policy council had the right to review and approve "all recommendations".
- Termination of the delegate voting system for policy decisions at annual conferences. Some dairy farmers raised concerns the new constitution did not require policy to be voted on by delegates at the VFF's annual conference.
- Proxies. Dairy farmers argued the proxy voting system was not transparent, as there was no requirement for proxies to be declared and voting intentions published at AGMs or EGMs.
