Red Tractor has pledged to improve communications with farmers and to reduce the so-called audit burden within its farm assurance scheme as part of its response to the industry-wide Farm Assurance Review.
The probe – launched in the wake of controversy surrounding Red Tractor’s abandoned plan to introduce a retailer-led Greener Farms Commitment environmental module in the autumn of 2023 – called for a “fundamental reset” of farm assurance on its publication in January.
The national review – the first of its kind to be undertaken – found that big changes were necessary “to address growing frustration amongst farmers in how [farm assurance schemes] are delivered”.
Concerns over a “fragmented” farm assurance landscape had built for a “number of years”, said the review’s lead commissioner David Llewellyn, amid already “fraying relations with farmers on the ground”. Some schemes no longer delivered “any sense of premium prices back to farmers, as was anticipated when they first came in to being”, he said.
Responding to the review this week, Red Tractor said it had accepted all nine of its strategic recommendations. The scheme’s board said it “acknowledges the deep frustrations expressed by producers and welcomes the review as an opportunity to reset relationships with farmers, and to better align with all stakeholders on the role assurance will play in a rapidly changing world”.
Priority actions for the scheme included “real change” through “smarter risk-based audits which reduce burden” that had already been started, plus “investing in and embracing technology and improving data management” – achieved through the rollout of developments to the Red Tractor Portal “to improve functionality for members and assessors”.
Other key actions included “ensuring that farmers see, hear and feel real change” via a new communications strategy “focused on building trust and engagement with farmers”.
This would be delivered alongside a commitment to reform its governance – as per calls in a previous probe, solely into Red Tractor, by independent consultants Campbell Tickell. A briefing on its plans is due out in May.
Environmental ambitions
Red Tractor also said it supported calls in the report for a new industry-led initiative to set out environmental ambitions for farm assurance, establishing this as an area of competitive advantage for UK farming. However, mindful of the controversy around the Greener Farms Commitment, it said it would only take part “if we are asked to do so by all stakeholders within the sector”.
“All involved with Red Tractor want farmers to feel heard, involved and proud to be part of Red Tractor,” said Red Tractor board interim chair Alistair Mackintosh.
“[Our] detailed response is testament to our genuine commitment to deliver real change for farmers,” he added.
“The Farm Assurance Review has offered us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to take stock of how assurance does and doesn’t work for producers, and a renewed focus on delivering tangible, positive change for them. Our commitments balance rigour and speed while also ensuring Red Tractor continues to deliver value for farmers and reassurance to customers.”
The review was described as a “turning point for farm assurance in the UK”, by Red Tractor CEO Jim Moseley.
“It is a call to action for all farm assurance schemes to deliver better outcomes for farmers and producers,” he added.
“Where possible, Red Tractor has committed to immediate action, prioritising improvements where we can have most impact. For more complex issues where there is a need or opportunity to work with others, Red Tractor has already written to those involved to offer collaboration and looks forward to working with them if requested to do so.”
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