National Farmers' Federation

National Farmers' Federation

National Farmers' Federation Headquarters in Barton, Australian Capital Territory.
Founded	1979 (1979)
Location	Barton, Australian Capital Territory
Key people	Duncan Fraser (President) Matt Linnegar (CEO)
Website	nff.org.au

The National Farmers' Federation (NFF) is an Australian non-profit membership–based organization that represents farmers and the agricultural sector in Australia. Historically, NFF was a key player in a number of industrial relations disputes, including Australia's infamous waterfront dispute; the shearing wide comb dispute; and the Mudginberri dispute.

The current chairman of the National Farmers' Federation is Duncan Fraser, since 2013; and the organisation's chief executive officer is Matt Linnegar, since January 2011.

Key policy priorities

The NFF's key policy areas include farm business and productivity; access to markets; natural resource management; biosecurity, health and welfare; education and training; and workplace relations. The NFF has been involved in a number of major policy debates in Australia, including most recently, the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, carbon tax, foreign investment, drought policy reform and livestock exports.

In February 2013, the NFF released the first Blueprint for Australian Agriculture. The blueprint is a strategic plan for the Australian agricultural sector and its supply chain, setting out its future direction. The blueprint is the first cross-industry plan for the sector, developed by the sector. In 2013, the NFF moved into the legacy phase of the blueprint: turning the blueprint document into action. The blueprint was developed with the support of Westpac, Woolworths and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, with Westpac and Woolworths continuing their support into the legacy phase, along with new partners Bayer and Syngenta Australia.

Background

NFF's members are the state-level farmers' organizations, national commodity councils, and other affiliated members. According to the NFF charter, state-level farmers' organizations represent the interests of the agricultural sector in their respective states. Issues related to individual commodities or interstate/national farming concerns are represented by relevant national commodity councils. The NFF focuses on those policy issues that affect all farmers, regardless of location or commodity. These include such issues as farm business and productivity, access to markets, natural resource management, biosecurity, animal health and welfare, education and training and workplace relations.

The NFF was formed in 1979.

Membership structure

NFF policy is set by the NFF Members' Council, which comprises the presidents of the NFF's 27–member organizations:

• AgForce Queensland
• Australian Dairy Farmers
• Australian Livestock Exporters' Council
• Australian Livestock and Property Agents Association
• Australian Pork
• Australian Veterinary Association
• Beechworth Honey
• CANEGROWERS
• Cattle Council of Australia

• Corporate Agriculture Group
• Cotton Australia
• Dried Fruits Australia
• Goat Industry Council of Australia
• GrainCorp
• GrainGrowers
• Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association
• NSW Farmers' Association
• NSW Irrigators' Council

• Pastoralists' Association of West Darling
• Ridley Corporation
• Ricegrowers' Association of Australia
• Ruralco Holdings Limited
• Sheapmeat Council of Australia
• Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association
• Victorian Farmers Federation
• WAFarmers
• WoolProducers Australia

Jock Laurie, a grazier from Walcha in the New England region of NSW, was president of the organization from late 2010 until April 2013, when he resigned to run for pre-selection for the NSW National Party in the NSW seat of Northern Tablelands. At Laurie's resignation, Duncan Fraser, former NFF Vice-President, became president. Fraser will remain president until the next AGM, scheduled for November 2013.

Office bearers

President

The following people have served as president of the National Farmers' Federation:

Order	Name	Term start	Term end	Term of office
1	Sir Donald Eckersley OBE	1979	1981	years
2	Michael Davidson OBE	1981	1984	years
3	Hon. Ian McLachlan AO	1984	1988	years
4	John Allwright AO	1988	1991	years
5	Graham Blight	1991	1994	years
6	Donald McGauchie AO	1994	1998	years
7	Ian Donges	1998	2002	years
8	Peter Corish	2002	2006	years
9	David Crombie	2006	2010	years
10	Jock Laurie	2010	2013	years
11	Duncan Fraser	2013	present	years

Chief executive officer

The following people have served as chief executive officer, or another appropriate title, of the National Farmers' Federation:

Order	Name	Term start	Term end	Term of office	Title of office
1	John Whitelaw	1979	1985	years	Executive director
2	Andrew Robb AO	1985	1988	years
3	Rick Farley	1988	1995	years
4	Wendy Craik	1995	2000	years
5	Anna Cronin	2000	2005	years	Executive director/chief executive officer
6	Ben Fargher	2005	2011	years	Chief executive officer
7	Matt Linnegar	January 2011 (2011-01)	present	years

Award of Honour

The NFF Award of Honour recognizes people who have made an important contribution to the NFF and the farming sector. These include:

Name	Year awarded
Bill de Vos AM	1987
Jim Tehan AM	1988
David Partridge	1990
Roy Smith	1993
John Mackenzie	1999
Alick Lascelles	2000
Graham Blight	2002
Hon. Ian McLachlan AO	2004
Geoffrey Crick	2009
John Underwood
Alex Arbuthnot AM	2012

NFF Congress

The NFF has run its National Congress three times, in 2009, 2010 and 2012. The two first Congresses focused on modern farming, and adapting to the changing agriculture environment. In 2012, the Congress was around understanding, and capitalizing on, the food and fibre boom.

Australian Farmers' Fighting Fund

The Australian Farmers' Fighting Fund was created in 1985 to provide financial, legal and professional assistance to farmers. The fund was created out of Mudgenberri dispute in 1985, funded in part by farmers and in part by non-farming businesses. The AFFF is governed independently of the NFF, and is controlled by a board of trustees, three of which are independent trustees.

The current trustees are Hugh Nivison (chairman); George Mack; Donald McGauchie AO ; Jock Laurie; Duncan Fraser; Joanne Grainger; and Matt Linnegar.

See also

• Agriculture in Australia
• Economy of Australia

External links

• National Farmers' Federation website