# National Farmers' Federation

The National Farmers' Federation (NFF) is an Australian non-profit membership–based organisation that represents farmers and the agricultural sector in Australia. The NFF has been a key player in a number of industrial relations disputes, including the 1998 waterfront dispute.
As of June 2024 the president of the National Farmers' Federation is David Jochinke since 2023; the organisation's chief executive officer is Tony Mahar, since April 2016.

## History

The NFF was formed in 1979.
NFF was a key player in a number of industrial relations disputes, including the 1998 Australian waterfront dispute; the shearing wide comb dispute; and the Mudginberri dispute.

## Key policy priorities

The NFF's key policy areas include farm business and productivity; access to markets; digital connectivity; 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 backpacker tax, 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.
In December 2015, the National Farmers Federation launched a new program to use digital technology to improve agricultural efficiency. The program comprises three components:
* An online platform that will provide "a single source for ... food and agribusiness news ... weather and market information, blogs, commentary" as well as "a stronger more unified public voice", scheduled to be available in May 2016
* The National Farmers' Digital Agriculture Service, an online service for data collation
* Sprout, an incubator program to identify and support new ideas in agribusiness developed in partnership with financial services group Findex

## NFF membership

NFF policy is set by the NFF Members' Council, which comprises the presidents of the (as of 2016) NFF's 31–member organisations
NFF's members are the state-level farmers' organisations, national commodity councils, and other affiliated members. According to the NFF charter, state-level farmers' organisations 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.
In 2014 the NFF's 31–member organisations were:
* AgForce Queensland
* Australian Chicken Growers' Council
* Australian Dairy Farmers
* Australian Forest Products Association
* Australian Livestock Exporters' Council
* Australian Livestock and Property Agents Association
* Animal Medicines Australia
* Australian Pork Limited
* Australian Veterinary Association
* Beechworth Honey
* CANEGROWERS
* Cattle Council of Australia
* Corporate Agriculture Group
* Cotton Australia
* Dried Fruits Australia
* Future Farmers Network
* Goat Industry Council of Australia
* GrainCorp
* GrainGrowers
* Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association
* NSW Farmers' Association
* NSW Irrigators' Council
* Pastoralists' Association of West Darling
* Primary Employers Tasmania
* Ridley Corporation
* Ricegrowers' Association of Australia
* Summerfruit Australia
* Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association
* Victorian Farmers Federation
* WAFarmers
* WoolProducers Australia

## Office bearers
### President

The following people have served as president of the National Farmers' Federation:
| Name | Term start | Term end | Term of office |
| Sir Donald Eckersley OBE | 1979 | 1981 | 1–2 years |
| Michael Davidson OBE | 1981 | 1984 | 2–3 years |
| Hon. Ian McLachlan AO | 1984 | 1988 | 3–4 years |
| John Allwright AO | 1988 | 1991 | 2–3 years |
| Graham Blight | 1991 | 1994 | 2–3 years |
| Donald McGauchie AO | 1994 | 1998 | 3–4 years |
| Ian Donges | 1998 | 2002 | 3–4 years |
| Peter Corish | 2002 | 2006 | 3–4 years |
| David Crombie | 2006 | 2010 | 3–4 years |
| Jock Laurie | 2010 | 2013 | 2–3 years |
| Duncan Fraser | April 2013 | November 2013 | 0 years |
| Brent Finlay | 2013 | 2016 | 3 years |
| Fiona Simson | 2016 | 2023 | 7 years (first female president) |
| David Jochinke | 2023 | | current |

### Chief executive officer

The following people have served as chief executive officer, or another appropriate title, of the National Farmers' Federation:
| Name | Term start | Term end | Term of office | Title of office |
| John Whitelaw | 1979 | 1985 | 5–6 years | Executive director |
| Andrew Robb AO | 1985 | 1988 | 2–3 years | Executive director |
| Rick Farley | 1988 | 1995 | 6–7 years | Executive director |
| Wendy Craik | 1995 | 2000 | 4–5 years | Executive director |
| Anna Cronin | 2000 | 2005 | 5–6 years | Executive director/chief executive officer |
| Ben Fargher | 2005 | 2011 | 5–6 years | Chief executive officer |
| Matt Linnegar | 2011 | 2014 | 2–3 years | Chief executive officer |
| Simon Talbot | 2014 | 2016 | 1–2 years | Chief executive officer |
| Tony Mahar | 2016 | 2024 | 7–8 years | Chief executive officer |

### Award of Honour

The NFF Award of Honour recognises 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 | 2009 |
| Alex Arbuthnot AM | 2012 |

## NFF Congress

The NFF has run its National Congress four times, in 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2014. 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. The theme for the 2014 Congress was "Producing Our Future".

## 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 the 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 whom are independent trustees.