National Farmers' Federation
National Farmers' Federation Headquarters in Barton, Australian Capital Territory.
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| Founded | 1979 |
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Key people
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| Website | nff |
The National Farmers' Federation (NFF) is an Australian non-profit membership–based organization that represents farmers and the agricultural sector in Australia.[1] 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.
Contents
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.[2] 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.[3]
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.[4]
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:
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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 | Error: Need valid year, month, day years |
| 2 | Michael Davidson OBE | 1981 | 1984 | Error: Need valid year, month, day years |
| 3 | Hon. Ian McLachlan AO | 1984 | 1988 | Error: Need valid year, month, day years |
| 4 | John Allwright AO | 1988 | 1991 | Error: Need valid year, month, day years |
| 5 | Graham Blight | 1991 | 1994 | Error: Need valid year, month, day years |
| 6 | Donald McGauchie AO | 1994 | 1998 | Error: Need valid year, month, day years |
| 7 | Ian Donges | 1998 | 2002 | Error: Need valid year, month, day years |
| 8 | Peter Corish | 2002 | 2006 | Error: Need valid year, month, day years |
| 9 | David Crombie | 2006 | 2010 | Error: Need valid year, month, day years |
| 10 | Jock Laurie | 2010 | 2013 | Error: Need valid year, month, day years |
| 11 | Duncan Fraser | 2013 | present | Error: Need valid year, month, day 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 | Error: Need valid year, month, day years | Executive director |
| 2 | Andrew Robb AO | 1985 | 1988 | Error: Need valid year, month, day years | |
| 3 | Rick Farley | 1988 | 1995 | Error: Need valid year, month, day years | |
| 4 | Wendy Craik | 1995 | 2000 | Error: Need valid year, month, day years | |
| 5 | Anna Cronin | 2000 | 2005 | Error: Need valid year, month, day years | Executive director/chief executive officer |
| 6 | Ben Fargher | 2005 | 2011 | Error: Need valid year, month, day years | Chief executive officer |
| 7 | Matt Linnegar | January 2011 | present | Error: Need valid year, month, day 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:[6]
| 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.[7]
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
References
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