Australian government intervenes in poultry industry

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has granted authorisation for collective bargaining by Victorian chicken producers with chicken processors for a further five years.

The arrangements allow growers to form bargaining groups according to which of Victoria's four chicken processors, Baiada Poultry, Inghams Enterprises, Hazeldene Chicken Farm or Turi Foods they supply.

Victorian chicken growers and processors have been collectively negotiating contracts since 2005 following deregulation of the Victorian broiler chicken growing industry.

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has advised the ACCC that since the arrangements were first authorised they have been successfully utilised by some grower groups while other groups were close to finalising contracts.

Individual growers remain free to directly negotiate with their processor if they or the processor wish.