Lake Boga farmer Nathan Free has been re-elected to the role of Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) Horticulture Council president.
The VFF announced the outcome of its elections, withVFF returning officer Brendan Tatham adding that Katherine Myers had been returned as vice-president.
Both positions were re-elected unopposed.
“Nathan has been returned as president of the VFF Horticulture Council and will again work with Katherine as vice-president,” Mr Tatham said.
“I congratulate both Nathan and Katherine and look forward to continuing to work with them and the wider VFF team to help deliver for horticulture farmers throughout Victoria over the coming years.”
Mr Free has been the VFF Horticulture Council president since 2021.
The fourth-generation farmer and managing director of Wattle Organics said he was quite honored to be representing the organisation and based up here in the north, as a lot of horticultural production was based in the south.
“I am very happy to bring forward the whole states issues, but also some of the unique challenges and issues we face in the north: the longer transport routes to be able to get our product down to Melbourne and the water issues,” he said.
“There are still big issues with labour, which I am very passionate about.
“We need that looked at so that we can get our product out and onto the shelves for a good price.
“There are a lot of housing shortages in rural towns which impacts the amount of labour we can get in those towns.
“The VFF is very passionate about being able to work with councils and stakeholders to ensure we get the right amount of housing, the right amount of workers in the right towns to assist farmers to be able to create food for their communities and the nation.”
Growing a mix of organic fruit, vegetables and cereal on his farm Mr Free has a history of leadership in the horticulture industry as a former Nuffield Scholar and Rabobank Emerging Leader.
Some of his other roles include being president of the Swan Hill/ Sunraysia Rotary Club and also part of the Murray Valley Fruit Fly Committee of behalf of AUSVEG.
