NFF wins third consecutive Gold Award for Public Affairs
ON FRIDAY night the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) completed a rare hat-trick by taking its third consecutive Gold Award in Public Affairs under the ACT Public Relations Institute of Australia’s (PRIA’s) annual State Awards for Excellence at a gala ceremony at The Deck Regatta Point in Canberra. The ‘Pacific Solution to Labour Shortages on Australian […]
Major Federal Budget concession a victory for farmers
TODAY the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) won a major concession from the Federal Government, winning changes to non-commercial loan rules to see farmers now being exempt from hefty penalties being brought in under the May 2009 Federal Budget. “The announcement today by Assistant Treasurer Senator Nick Sherry takes up all the points we put to […]
New report highlights CPRS shortcomings for agriculture
NEW analysis released today by ACIL Tasman reinforces the National Farmers’ Federation’s (NFF’s) case that the Federal Government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) as it currently stands does not work for Australian farmers, the jobs they support and the food production upon which we all rely. “Pressure is mounting on the Federal Government to take […]
NFF wins changes to modern Horticulture Award
FIVE months of negotiation with the Federal Government on changes to the modern Horticulture Award paid off for the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) today, as Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard accepted the peak farm body’s arguments and used her discretionary power to ask the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) to revisit conditions under the Award. […]
Lifting the lid on high fertiliser prices
AUSTRALIAN farmers will take great heart from a recommendation for independent collection and distribution of international price information on fertiliser products – both here and overseas – the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) said today. “Last November, we presented evidence to the Senate Select Committee on Agricultural and Related Industries that while domestic fertiliser prices were […]
Agricultural prices rise as new opportunities emerge
EVEN the northern hemisphere grain crop’s arrival on the global marketplace and the strengthening Australian dollar could not dampen the Westpac-NFF Commodity Index moving upwards during July, recording a 0.9% rise for the month. The increases reinforces the growing momentum behind world agriculture prices and heralds the arrival of a new focus on the global […]
Agricultural producers urged to attend Fair Work seminars
THE National Farmers’ Federation (NFF), with support from the Australian Government, is holding 90 free seminars across rural and remote Australia from 1 September 2009 to help agricultural producers understand the changes to the workplace relations laws as a result of the new Fair Work Act 2009. The NFF is providing educational materials through the […]
Rule agriculture out of CPRS, farmers tell Govt
TODAY the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) declared that international developments have overtaken the Australian Government’s proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) as far as agriculture in concerned, petitioning key Ministers to “carve agriculture’s direct emissions out permanently”. “As the CPRS currently stands, agriculture won’t be covered until 2015 at the earliest… if at all,” NFF […]
Farmers & miners join forces to tackle labour needs
Joint NFF and MCA Statement THE farming and mining industries will need to step up joint efforts to overcome common labour supply and training issues in regional Australia to increase the availability of skilled, job-ready workers who can work across both sectors, a new report reveals. The final report from Australian Regional Agriculture and Mining […]
Pacific Island labour solution to roll-out nationally
PHASE Two of the pilot scheme recruiting up to 2,400 employees from Pacific Island nations to fill chronic labour shortages on Australian horticultural farms is gearing up for the sector’s peak harvest season, which kicks-off from September. Phase One of the scheme, granting temporary visas under a Federal Government-regulated program, saw 56 seasonal workers from […]