Ag policies compared

• To be spent over eight years, the $1b is for repairing and upgrading regional roads, plus the eradication of several dangerous level crossings

• Revenue from traffic camera and speeding fines to be reinvested in the Better Roads Victoria Trust Account

• $1m promised each year for the next four years for the National Centre for Farmer Health, based at Hamilton – the centre conducts research, education and training into farmer health and wellbeing

• The centre had its annual $1m slice of the State Budget axed in 2012 but the State and Federal Governments partnered in June to deliver $625,000 to keep it open for another year – no further funds have been promised by the Coalition

• The centre has won several awards and is being used as a template for a similar facility being set up in Canada

• Up to $1m in grants for food and fibre businesses

• The money comes from a pool of $200m to be shared by six industries, including pharmaceuticals, new energy, food and fibre and international education

• Further policy details not yet released

• Plan to link clusters of growers with export markets by forming partnerships along the supply chain

• The policy has the VFF's backing, with president Peter Tuohey saying, "From what we understand, Labor wants to bring farmers, food processors, government researchers and marketers together to drive regional food and fibre exports and growth"

• Labor yet to release details of how the policy will work, with Shadow Agriculture Minister Jacinta Allan saying only the current partnerships in place along the export supply chain were not being used to their best potential

• $500,000 for stage two of the Euroa saleyards upgrade – will include new roof and make over of amenities

• $500,000 toward the $3.5m upgrade of the Wangaratta saleyards to include a new roof and flooring and installation of water sustainability measures – however, project still yet to be approved by Wangaratta City Council however

• To be spent on scholarships for up-and-coming agribusiness professionals

• Money from Labor's Back on the Land policy would also be used to establish a Ministerial Advisory Council on Young Farmers to advise government on how to attract the next generation to rural professions

• Each of the State's 38 rural councils would get a share of the Coalition's $100m Local Government Infrastructure Fund over the next four years as part of the current government's $1b Regional Growth Fund

• The $100m has previously been shared between regional cities and rural communities but would this time be solely dedicated to rural infrastructure such as roads, bridges, town halls and sporting facilities

• Each council would prioritise and be in control of its own spending

• A further $60m will be invested in the Growing Food and Fiber program, which started in 2012

• A research, development and extension program designed to increase on-farm productivity

• Recipients of funding include Centres of Excellence across Victoria in the dairy, grains, red meat, horticulture and agri-bioscience fields

• $12.5m to upgrade Horsham's Grains Centre of Excellence – the project will improve and expand existing laboratories and greenhouses and upgrade critical infrastructure including power, water, IT capacity and road access

• $12m promised for an Almond Centre of Excellence at Irymple in the Sunraysia district

• $500,000 for Euroa, budgeted as part of the Coalition's $1b Regional Growth Fund

• Infrastructure to include new roof, cattle selling ring and upgraded amenities; it will also partly fund the relocation the Victorian Poultry Fanciers Association headquarters from Melbourne to the Euroa saleyards

• $500,000 towards the $3.6m Wangaratta saleyards rejuvenation to include new roof, floor and amenities

• Money to go to regional communities to protect against flood damage such as that seen in 2010-11

• Coalition has commissioned 26 studies on floodwater management in parts of Victoria but many are yet to be completed

• $160m allocated over four years to continue Country Roads and Bridges Program

• Each of Victoria's 40 shires would receive $4m over four years to spend on infrastructure such as roads, bridges and crossings

• The VFF has been promised $300,000 to spend on its Young Agribusiness Professionals programs to promote and train young ag professionals in networking, training and leadership

• $200,000 for the Food to Asia Passport program, including 24 scholarships of up to $8000 each for young professionals to travel to Asia and the Middle East and develop export