The Andrews Labor Government has axed 145 jobs from Agriculture Victoria, at a time when the $17.8 billion food and fibre sector will be crucial to recover and rebuild Victoria’s economy. Agriculture Victoria already suffered from under-resourcing, but with even fewer jobs it means less people on the ground to deliver crucial research and development…
Farmers won’t be better protected against illegal and traumatic farm trespass crime unless amendments to on-the-spot fine laws are passed in the Victorian Parliament. Today, Leader of The Nationals Peter Walsh will introduce amendments to the Livestock Management Amendment (Animal Activism) Bill 2021 to fix problems in the draft legislation that will see farmer’s river…
Lamb, pork and other Christmas meats will be in short supply if the Andrews Labor Government doesn’t immediately work with industry to deliver a pathway back to full workforce capacity. The Premier slapped metro processors with a 20 per cent reduction in workforce capacity last month, which is expected to weigh heaviest through peak periods…
Extension of Victoria’s seasonal worker deal with Tasmania is long overdue, but the 1500 places announced today is a band aid solution that won’t make a dent in the tens of thousands of vacancies across the sector. The paperwork to extend the deal has been sitting on the Premier’s desk for three weeks, leaving Victorian…
Victorian farmers’ hopes of a record-breaking harvest are at risk while COVID restrictions continue to wreak havoc with availability of farm labourers. Worker shortages across the industry, including horticulture, grains, wool production and meat processing, have left farmers and farm businesses fearing the loss of this season’s food and fibre. With the Federal Liberal and…
Daniel Andrews is refusing to sign off on an extension to a seasonal worker deal with Tasmania, as workforce shortages leave Victorian farmers facing ploughing millions of dollars of fresh produce into the ground. Farmers have been calling for immediate action to solve the shortage for more than 12 months, but Victoria has done little…
The Andrews Labor Government has run out of excuses to delay fixing Victoria’s farm worker shortage, after the Federal Government today confirmed details of Australia’s ag visa program. The Federal Liberal and Nationals Government announced plans for the ag visa in June as part of the UK Free Trade Agreement. It was confirmed today the…
The Andrews Labor Government has failed to step up to the plate to solve a desperate shortage of workers across Victorian farms and agriculture businesses. Tens of thousands of vacancies that need to be filled in Victoria’s horticulture industry are just the tip of the iceberg as the closure of international borders – and Victoria’s…
A plan to slash funding to Victoria’s fight against Queensland fruit fly will make it harder for our farmers to fight off outbreaks of the destructive pest. The Andrews Labor Government has confirmed today it will slash fruit fly funds in the 2021-22 State Budget with just $5.3 million to be allocated to community grants…
Laws to impose on-the-spot fines to better protect Murray Plains farmers against farm trespass still haven’t been drafted, six months after the Andrews Labor Government finally agreed to the change. A parliamentary inquiry recommended on-the-spot fines be implemented as a solution to stop extreme animal activities breaking into farms, stealing livestock and damaging biosecurity. But…
