Victoria's peak agricultural lobby group says it been "forced" to spend nearly $300,000 of members money, fighting off challenges to oust its leaders.
In a letter to members last week, the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) board said it had spent $289,000 "to protect the [organisation's] democratic principles".
"Despite winning in the Federal Court, the VFF was only able to recoup $135,000 of costs from the activists who seemingly consider themselves entitled to benefit from VFF member resources," the board told members.
"Any further attempts to recover more costs risked more time and money spent on legal activity and fees."
The board also rejected the latest attempt to hold an extraordinary general meeting.
The EGM would have again considered resolutions to remove president Emma Germano and vice president Danyel Cuccinotta.
"The request was deemed to be invalid and this was communicated with the requisitioners and the wider membership, shortly after," the board said, in the letter to members.
"There has been no failure by the board to call a general meeting and the EGM notice is an impermissable attempt to circumvent the requirements of section 249E of the Corporations Act 2001 and clause 13.4.3 of the VFF constitution."
Any attempt to hold a meeting about the VFF and its governance was "inconsequential" to the operations of the organisation and democratically elected leaders, the board said.
St Arnaud VFF member and mixed farmer Barry Batters said planned EGM would be held on May 10, at the St Arnaud Sporting Club.
"The board needs to listen to its members, that's what they are there for," Mr Batters said.
"The board is playing hard ball, making all sorts of excuses, using members money, not representing them in any way, shape or fashion."
He said the VFF was "losing members at a great rate of knots" and the board was in serious danger of "collapsing the organisation".
"If the members want something, surely the hierarchy should listen," he said.
"They wouldn't have to use that money, if they listened to the members."
United Dairyfarmers of Victoria president Bernie Free, who has also called for an EGM, said there had been no communication from the board, management, president or vice president with the commodity group presidents, or the "disgruntled group of people they talk about".
"How can they [the board] make any claim they represent the organisation, if they haven't gone and talked to the people who aren't happy?."
He said he was surprised the latest bid for an EGM was knocked back - "the lawyers are saying what we did was correct.
"You would think, in a membership organisation, the management and board would come to you and explain what you have done is not right, how you need to do it and how can we sort this out, as individuals and a group, without spending membership money?"
Mr Free said the board should have known the legal costs would be high, given they had been to court previously on a different issue.
He said the money spent on legal fees would have been better directed elsewhere.
"It could pay for an extra person to be a liaison between the commodities groups, the government and other organisations," he said.
Former VFF member and livestock producer Ian Metherall, Nagambie, said he finished up with the VFF "many years ago".
"I just didn't think it was value for money and it seemed to be a nursery for the political aspirations of certain members," Mr Metherall said.
He had no desire to rejoin the VFF - "not at all".
When asked about the spending of members money to protect the "democratic principles" of the VFF, he responded "I rest my case".
Tongala mixed farmer Steve Snelson, another former VFF member, said the board was running the organisation in the same way the Victorian Labor government was treating the state.
"I wouldn't rejoin under the current leadership," he said.
Membership numbers continued to decline.
"Membership is how they get their funds, if they continue send it down the tubes, in numbers in the organisation, its more expensive for those who want to be in it," he said.
Mr Snelson said he felt the money would have better spend on lobbying against upcoming "horrendous" animal welfare legislation.
"There wasn't any farmer representation on that animal welfare committee, it was a contrived committee, made up of Greens representatives.
"That is coming to bite us, whether you are grains, or whatever you are in, that animal welfare legislation is going to be a draconian, left-wing document."
He said it would harm both exports and the domestic markets.
"The abuse of farmer's rights has not been defended properly," he said.
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
