The National Farmers' Federation (NFF) is an Australian non-profit membershipbased 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.

the president of the National Farmers' Federation is Hamish McIntyre since 2025; the organisation's Chief Executive is Mike Guerin, since March 2026.

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 Group and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, with Westpac and Woolworths Group 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 2026) NFF's 33member 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 2026 the NFF's 33member 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 Australian Organic Australian Veterinary Association Australian Wild Game Industry Council Beechworth Honey CANEGROWERS Cattle Australia Cotton Australia Farmers for Climate Action Goat Industry Council of Australia GrainGrowers NFF Horticulture Council NRM Regions Australia NSW Farmers NSW Irrigators' Council Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association Pastoralists' Association of West Darling Primary Employers Tasmania Primary Producers SA Queensland Farmers Federation Ricegrowers' Association of Australia Seafood Industry Australia Sheep Producers Australia Soils for Life Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association Victorian Farmers Federation WAFarmers WoolProducers Australia

Office bearers

President The following people have been president of the National Farmers' Federation: Name Term start Term end Term of office Sir Donald Eckersley 1979 1981 years Michael Davidson 1981 1984 years Hon. Ian McLachlan 1984 1988 years John Allwright 1988 1991 years Graham Blight 1991 1994 years Donald McGauchie 1994 1998 years Ian Donges 1998 2002 years Peter Corish 2002 2006 years David Crombie 2006 2010 years Jock Laurie 2010 2013 years Duncan Fraser April 2013 November 2013 years Brent Finlay 2013 20163 yearsFiona Simson201620237 years (first female president)David Jochinke 202320252 YearsHamish McIntyre2025Current

Chief executive officer The following people have been 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 years Executive director Andrew Robb 1985 1988 years Rick Farley 1988 1995 years Wendy Craik1995 2000 years Anna Cronin 2000 2005 years Executive director/chief executive officer Ben Fargher 2005 2011 years Chief Executive Officer Matt Linnegar 2011 2014 years Simon Talbot 2014 2016 years Tony Mahar 2016 2024 years Troy Williams March 2025 July 2025 <1 year Su McCluskeySeptember 2025 March 2026<1 yearInterim Chief ExecutiveMike GuerinMarch 2026CurrentChief 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 awardedBill de Vos 1987Jim Tehan 1988David Partridge 1990Roy Smith 1993John Mackenzie 1999Alick Lascelles 2000Graham Blight 2002Hon. Ian McLachlan 2004Geoffrey Crick 2009John UnderwoodAlex Arbuthnot 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.

See also Agriculture in Australia Economy of Australia

References

External links