FARMING communities across Victoria are bracing for significant impacts as public sector job cuts threaten the vital support service that underpin the state’s regional agriculture industry.
State Member for Shepparton District, Kim O’Keeffe, expressed deep concern at proposed job cuts within Agriculture Victoria and related government departments, warning the move could undermine the state’s ability to safeguard its world-class $20B industry.
Ms O’Keeffe said Victoria’s agriculture sector employs tens of thousands of people and supports regional economies and communities, as well as supporting food security across the nation.
“The Government needs to reconsider any reductions that would weaken frontline services and place the industry at greater risk,” she said. “Agriculture Victoria has already lost over 190 positions that were removed over the last two years as part of broader cuts to regional services and operations. We are now looking at a further estimated 350 public sector jobs being cut.”
Ms O’Keeffe highlighted a $77.6M cut from agriculture funding in the 2025/2026 state budget, $52M from the regional development fund, and critical programs such as the Goulburn Murray Valley Area-Wide Management Fruit Fly Program, which is under significant financial pressure imposing a risk to agriculture.
“At a time when cost-of-living pressures and workplace shortages are already biting, pulling back government support and budget cuts will entrench disadvantage in regional Victoria for years to come,” said Ms O’Keeffe.
“These reductions, combined with previously reported job losses and declining service capacity in areas including bushfire response and biosecurity, risk compounding pressures on agriculture’s resilience and the infrastructure that supports regional communities.”
