MEDIA RELEASE
Welcome to Farmers helping Farmers
One of Australia’s longest-running farmer groups has a new name.
The Victorian No Till Farmers Association (VicNoTill), formed in 2002 by a group of innovative broadacre cropping farmers in the Wimmera, is now Farmers helping Farmers.
Board president Michael Gooden announced the new name to a room of almost 200 farmers, agronomists, scientists and industry leaders at the group’s annual conference in Yarrawonga. The group also announced it on their global podcast, also named Farmers helping Farmers, with guest host Joel Williams.
Mr Gooden said when founding members established the Victorian No Till Farmers Association in 2002, the name reflected exactly what the group was about.
“It all began with some really progressive Victorian farmers who were dedicated to helping others transition to from a ploughing-based production system into a no-till system, and that was a really good name at the time,” he said.
“Now, 24 years later, this name doesn’t represent what we’re about. We’re a national, and in a lot of ways an international group, and we’re talking about things far broader than just no-till farming.”
Mr Gooden said the board had carefully considered several options for the new name and consulted with its members.
“Farmers helping farmers has always been at the heart of what we do, and in a world that is continually changing, it is the one thing that has never changed for us, and it never will,” Mr Gooden said.
Michael said the group was proud to be one of the world’s leading voices for sustainable, profitable, large-scale systems that grow food and fibre utilising regenerative tools.
“Our goal is to advance soil building farming systems that will remain productive and profitable for generations to come, and we will continue to challenge traditional thinking.
“We exist to support farmers in their transition towards farming systems that prioritise soil, landscape and farmer health by aligning their practices more closely with nature.”
Board president from 2016-2019 Grant Sims commended the current board for changing the name to better reflect the group’s broadening focus.
“It was pretty special for me to be at the conference this year and witness this big change which the board has known for a long time was needed. Board members have been talking about this since I was president but it’s a huge decision and one that had to be right.
“Now feels like exactly the right time. This name change is an exciting step forward towards supporting more farmers from across Australia and around the world.”
Grant said one of the best aspects of Farmers helping Farmers was that it remained grassroots and provided an opportunity for farmers to learn from each other by getting down to the ‘nuts and bolts’ of farming.
‘“I’ve travelled the world and been involved with a lot of different farmer groups but this network is still one of the best I’m part of because it’s not industry people, it’s not government people – it’s predominantly real farmers solving the real problems.
“Their honest and down-to-earth approach of sharing things that have worked and things that haven’t is such a great way to learn. I look forward to seeing Farmers helping Farmers grow from here.”
NEW NAME
SAME PRINCIPLES
SAME SUPPORT
SAME FARMERS HELPING FARMERS
Origins
VicNoTill initially formed in 2002 to support broadacre cropping farmers in setting up zero-till systems, retaining groundcover, CTF, disc planters, stripper fronts, chaff management, slug management – all with the goal of looking after their soil biology and getting better returns, particularly in dry years.
The saying which caught on was ‘no till shines in the dry’ and through paddock walks, field days and an annual conference, The Victorian No Till Farmers Association was gathering in numbers and support. They encouraged people to look further than the next door neighbour’s paddock and the further they looked the more information they discovered about the power of their soils.
When regenerative agriculture became part of the group’s mission and purpose, membership was growing outside Victoria with more and more farmers turning to the group for guidance and support. The group’s reputation for leading change, being open, honest and unafraid to explore new ideas was spreading.
Regenerative agriculture injected new life into farmers in the network as they explored how introducing livestock, growing multi-species crops, reducing synthetic inputs and getting back to nature could fire up soils and take these systems to a whole new level.
Time for change?
In 2018 the board debated strongly under the leadership of former president Grant Sims to change its name, with options such as Regen Australia and Regeneration Nation on the table.
However, ‘regenerative’ hadn’t been tried and tested by members to a level where the group felt they had the experience, knowledge and understanding of how these systems worked in an Australian context.
The board settled on a compromise and launched a ‘refresh’ of their logo. They shortened their name to VicNoTill and made the groups very original tagline of ‘Farmers helping Farmers’ more prominent by making it part of the new logo.
A new era post-COVID
After travelling over the bumps in the road COVID created, VicNoTill got out from behind a screen and back into the paddock and conference room with fresh vigour and enthusiasm under the leadership of NSW farmers Brent Rothacker, followed by Dan Fox.
VicNoTill continued to trial and test regenerative tools and advance their knowledge of the potential of these tools in their paddocks, and continued to look outside the square for information, knowledge and advice from around the world.
They were also learning valuable lessons along the way:
- Don’t go in boots and all.
- You can’t change your system overnight.
- You need to make sure your soils are ready for the changes, also described as ‘earning the right’.
- What works in one paddock might not work in another.
- You need to ensure you remain financially viable – you can’t be green if you’re in the red.
- Most importantly, you need to look after your own physical and mental health and wellbeing.
More than no till
The network’s knowledge and experience in soil health improvements, farm system changes, regenerative tools, biology and nutrition plus its broadening membership from right across Australia were taking VicNoTill further and further away from its name.
The core mission was no longer just no-till farming systems in a Victorian broadacre cropping context, the group had moved well beyond that into livestock and mixed farming.
As the group rebuilt and gathered new momentum, it became more and more obvious that the name ‘VicNoTill’ did not represent who they were and what they did.
A new year, a new era
In early 2026, with the group approaching 25 years of ‘farmers helping farmers’ next year, the board tested several names and had many robust discussions over their merits. They kept coming back to something which feels blindingly obvious now the decision is made.
After consultation with members and further deliberation by the board, the group is thrilled to announce its new name – Farmers helping Farmers Australia.
Farmers helping Farmers will continue to strive for good farming and change agriculture from the ground down, and the ground up.
Farmers helping Farmers Australia.
Connected. Practical. Progressive.
