Outgoing president Emma Germano will not stand as presidents can serve only two two-year terms.
During Ms Germano’s time as president she restructured the organisation, overhauled its membership structure, and gave notice that the VFF would resign its membership of national bodies such as the National Farmers Federation.
She also faced opposition from key commodity groups, United Dairy Farmers and the Grains Group.
Mr Hosking told 3WM’s Country Today there had been a lot of change and that change could be uncomfortable at times.
“Now’s an opportunity for fresh leadership, modern leadership to come in behind Emma Germano to restore some of that difficulty that people faced with some of that change, but also to get on with the job, most importantly, to get out there advocating for growers on the issues that really matter,” he said.
Mr Hosking said he believed the VFF would not have to rejoin the NFF, rather revoke its planned resignation, which was effective September 30, 2025, but said membership fees would need to be looked at.
“If you’re going to be out of all the peak bodies, then you probably may as well be out of NFF as well,” he said.
“But the reality is that leaves VFF and Victorian farmers with no representation federally for issues like the biosecurity tax that almost came in. Things like that could become a reality without VFF having any say.
“We all pay levies towards research development corporations like GRDC, Australian Pork Limited, Meat and Livestock Australia.
“Without membership of the peak bodies, our members have no voice into how those levies are invested and how they’re used.
“Again, our members, they’re paying their levies, but they get no voice into those agencies without membership of those peak bodies, those national bodies.”
Mr Hosking said funding the VFF would be one of the first issues he addressed if elected president.
He said he would also reach out to commodity group United Dairy Farmers, who broke away from the VFF and formed a new organisation, Dairy Farmers of Victoria.
“For me, for us, it’s about moving forward, it’s about what do we do next, and I think the next step that members want to see is they want to see the VFF getting some runs on the board, they want to see them engaging with government, with industry, with the community on issues that really matter to their businesses, to their families and to their local communities,” he said.
“They want to hear VFF’s voice shouting loudly as we’re looking at new animal welfare bills and things like that.
“They want to hear VFF standing up for the issues that matter and they actually want a VFF that comes out and listens to them.
“What I’m about is engaging directly with the members themselves and not going out and advocating on their behalf, but us going out and advocating together – a partnership where all voices can be heard and where all issues can be contested.
“And that’s what I think we need for the way forward.
“And we need to hit the ground running.
“It’s really important that we make up for any lost ground and we get ahead of the game.”
Nominations for positions have closed, with ballots to be distributed November 18-20 and voting to open on November 25.
Voting closes on December 6, with results announced December 20.
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