Workers could be part-paid with fruit and veg as farmers seek to ‘streamline’ pay deals

Farm employers could offer a range of non-monetary benefits to workers including food, accommodation and fuel, the National Farmers Federation says. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Farm workers could be part-paid with fruit, vegetables and other produce as the agriculture sector seeks to lower the bar for the “better off overall test” for pay.

The National Farmers Federation (NFF) has proposed changes to take “non-monetary benefits” into account when registering workplace pay deals, echoing calls from the fast-food sector during the last round of industrial relations reforms.