By Lauren Henry

Minyip farmer Ryan Milgate officially stepped into the presidency role of the Victorian Farmers Federation at its conference in Ballarat last week.

Mr Milgate was declared elected unopposed in April, meaning an election was not required.  

He takes over the role from Quambatook farmer Brett Hosking, who has been selected as The Nationals’ candidate in the seat of Murray Plains, vacated by retiring former Victorian leader Peter Walsh.

Mr Milgate gave the opening address of the conference, at the Goods Shed in Ballarat, which also featured new Victorian Agriculture Minister Michaela Settle as a guest speaker.

The keynote speaker at the conference was food futurist Tony Hunter, who has more than 35 years’ experience in food and agriculture including general manager roles at two food companies.

Mr Milgate said he first became involved in the VFF nine years ago, firstly with the organisation’s grains group.

“I’ve told this story a few times to people, but I was invited up to a neighbour’s workshop one Friday night and we sat around an Esky and had a bit of a chat, and I was convinced to have a crack at the Grains council back at that stage – that’s where it all started,” he said.

“Probably the hot issue then, which is still one of the hotter ones today, was our roads and infrastructure. That’s just something that we’re dealing with all day, every day, so that’s probably been the most constant one. 

“Then there’s just been things coming at us left, right and centre, obviously since.”

While Mr Milgate said he was not a ‘political animal’, he was about to embark on a role that would advocate on key issues for farmers and regional Victoria ahead of the November state election.

“There’s just a whole range of issues coming at us. It feels like we’re in a meteor shower of issues at the moment,” he said.

“The whole conflict with land use, the transmission lines, mining, and just everything the government’s coming at us with, the emergency services levy, the tax changes that are coming through the Federal Government, the trade issues we have and the FTA with Europe – there’s just a whole range of issues coming at us.”

Mr Milgate said forming strong relationships with people in politics was his aim.

“We’re in a really difficult time – particularly where I am in the Wimmera – we’re right in the middle of it,” he said. “We’ve got the transmission lines, we’ve got the renewables, and I’ve got a mine next door myself, so there’s a lot of community angst and I need to be able to go and sit down and talk with the relevant ministers and bureaucrats about the issues.

“It is a bit difficult because it is being perceived by some people that you’re sleeping with the enemy, I guess. 

“It’s definitely a relationship business and something that I really want to work on and work with because we don’t have to agree, but we need to be able to have a door open to have the frank conversations.”

Mr Milgate told Country Today the three issues of renewables, transmission lines and mining in the Wimmera were ‘literally tearing communities apart’.

“We’ve got to go and tell it straight to the top that it is tearing our communities apart and what we’re seeing is it’s bloody terrible,” he said.

“I think the key thing in all of this, in all of these projects, comes back to communications and engagement right at the very start. 

“People don’t like surprises. They don’t like being put against neighbours, and they want the honest truth.”

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