THE Victorian Farmers' Federation will open a regional membership hub in Bendigo in an effort to engage more with members in rural communities.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The new office will house the membership and engagement team and provide meeting and training facilities.
VFF president Peter Tuohey said the move was a step forward in the future of the organisation.
"We are trying to increase our engagement," he said.
"What we had before was four regional managers that covered the entire state and each manager would work in isolation.
"It wasn't really working well - so we decided to open up an office in Bendigo."
Mr Tuohey said there was a high concentration of farmers in and around the Bendigo and Ballarat regions, and the move would allow the organisation to connect with existing and prospective members.
"If they have a problem they can go straight to the office anytime," he said.
"This will give it a more personal touch - as it is easier to talk to someone in person rather than on the phone."
He said the team included membership development representatives Rob McLoughlin and Mick McCarthy and membership engagement officers Kim Tupper and Bree Jackson.
He said two staff members would be based in the office answering calls and questions while the other two staff members would travel around the region attending meetings.
VFF chief executive Graeme Ford said the team would regularly travel to regional Victoria in a bid to put a sharper focus and more concentrated resources into engaging with the farming sector.
"The VFF remains focused on improving services to members and the new model will allow us to engage with members and provide a better service and platform for the Victorian farming community," he said.
The new office is located at suite 2, 145 View Street, Bendigo.
For more about the VFF visit www.vff.org.au