Business & Rural
11 March, 2026
Hosking will step down as VFF president
BRETT Hosking has this afternoon told Victorian Farmers' Federation members he will not seek another term as the state's peak agricultural body president.
Mr Hosking had told our sister newspaper the Loddon Herald on Tuesday when nominations opened for the top VFF role that he was considering whether to run for a new term and would make a decision within days.
That decision came today.
Mr Hosking was elected VFF president in 2024 as the organisation faced tumult and turmoil and has been seen to have put the peak body's focus back on farmers and their challenges and achieving a renewed level of unity across the sector.
His name has been linked with speculation on a successor to former Nationals leader Peter Walsh, himself a former VFF president, who will retire at November's state election after almost 25 years in State Parliament.
In a statement his to members today, Mr Hosking said:
"With elections for senior VFF leadership roles approaching, I wish to let you know that I will not be re-nominating for the role of With elections for senior VFF leadership roles approaching, I wish to let you know that I will not be re-nominating for the role of president.
The VFF is the voice of Victorian farmers at the state level, as well as nationally and internationally. That voice exists because of you—our members—and for that I sincerely thank you.
When I, along with the other members of the VFF Board, was elected, the organisation was in a fragile position. Assets had been sold to cover expenses, our standing with government and industry was being tested, and membership was falling as many farmers felt the VFF was no longer representing them effectively.
Today, I’m proud to say that situation has changed. The organisation is stronger, and that turnaround has only been possible because of the support and commitment of our members.
The current VFF leadership team is guided by a simple question: what are the members telling us? Leadership is about listening and then responding with passion and purpose on behalf of the people you represent. Our team has done that, and I am certain that the time is right for the next generation of leaders to take on this opportunity and continue serving Victorian farmers.
I feel incredibly humbled by the support and genuine friendships I have received from farmers across this great state. I have held leadership roles within the VFF for more than ten years, during which we have faced droughts, floods, good seasons, tough seasons, and more recently the devastating fires across Victoria, where recovery is still only just beginning. Standing alongside members during these times has been a privilege, and I look forward to continuing the friendships formed along the way.
With a strong, member-focused board and the outstanding leadership of CEO Charlie Thomas, I am excited about the future of the VFF. Our team—both in the office and in the field—works with passion and purpose on behalf of farmers, and that is a credit to Charlie’s leadership and the dedication of the entire organisation.
I would like to thank Charlie, the VFF Board, and our team for their support during my time as president. I’m also grateful to the team who embraced a somewhat different leadership style along the way. Most importantly, thank you to every member who continues to support the VFF and help ensure it remains an organisation farmers can rely on.
Finally, I want to thank my wife Jane and our girls—Grace, Lily, Isabelle and Amelia—for their patience and support throughout this journey. I love each of you very much.
I will continue to serve out the remainder of my term as president and keep fighting for Victorian farmers—whether that’s being the only organisation standing up against changes to transmission laws that fast-track compulsory land acquisition, as we saw again last week, or ensuring farmers maintain access to the fuel they need as supply chains come under pressure as we’re hearing about now.