VFF president Ryan Milgate said the results of the survey should be a wake-up call to all sides of politics.
Nine out of 10 farmers surveyed by the Victorian Farmers Federation believe the Victorian Government doesn’t understand local issues or have a positive plan to grow the industry.
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The second annual State of the State: Victorian Farmer Priorities Survey revealed the main issue across the state was the condition of roads, with 97 per cent of those surveyed concerned or very concerned.
New taxes and regulations and the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund round out the overall top three.
In the north-central region, roads are the top issue, with the ESVF and biosecurity close behind, with 96, 93, and 92 per cent of respondents concerned or very concerned respectively.
Cropping farmer Cherie Freeman, who runs an operation near Corop with her husband, Andrew, said the results of the survey were unsurprising.
Cherie and Andrew Freeman with their son Hugh, in 2024.
“The roads are horrific, they’re really bad,” Ms Freeman said.
“(The government and council) is wasting our money, and they’re not getting very far.”
Ms Freeman said she felt neglected and wanted to see more common-sense decision-making and decisive action, even if it wasn’t popular.
“A lot of (bureaucrats) don’t have the capabilities or knowledge to make decisions,” she said.
“It should be a prerequisite that they have to know about the area of the decision they’re making, and I just don’t know if that can change because people have to understand and want to learn.”
VFF president Ryan Milgate said the results painted a bleak picture of life in regional Victoria.
“More than a year since we asked regional Victorians if they felt they mattered, the needle has barely moved,” Mr Milgate said.
“Nine in 10 farmers still don’t believe the Victorian Government understands local issues or has a positive plan to grow the industry.
“With under 100 days until we head to the polls, that should set off alarm bells for the government and serve as a stark wake-up call to all sides of politics.
“These findings highlight the simmering sentiment in the bush.
“People don’t feel like they are being listened to or that they matter.”
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