VISA SLOWDOWN PUTS VICTORIAN HARVEST AT RISK

The Victorian Farmers Federation has become the latest farming organisation to sound the alarm on the impact the Federal Government’s slow-down of visa processing is having on agriculture, saying the situation is creating significant uncertainty for Victorian farmers as the state heads into critical harvest and peak production periods.

The Federation says Immigration Minister Tony Burke has confirmed Working Holiday visas are continuing to be processed, but more slowly than previously, while regional employer-sponsored visas have been dropped from the priority list.

VFF President Ryan Milgate says agriculture cannot afford for seasonal workforce policy to become caught up in the broader political debate about migration.

He says farmers need certainty and a workforce they can rely on when crops and livestock require it, warning produce could be left in the field or on the tree if workers are not available when harvest begins.

Grain growers are particularly concerned, with VFF Grains President Jason Mellings saying farmers have already invested heavily in what could be one of their most expensive crops.

Horticulture and dairy producers are also warning of the impacts, with the VFF calling on governments to work with farmers before making changes to agricultural workforce arrangements.