Up at the Royal Show to dish out the Daily Express Farming Awards this week, I was confronted by some angry farmers over the new British Farm Standard tracor logo. They were upset they had found New Zealand lamb with this logo on one of the supermarket stands at the show. And I can see their point. Not only because the product was from New Zealand, but also because it was featured at Britain's foremost farming show. Since the incident came to light, the supermarket concerned, Sainsbury, has admitted it was all a terrible mistake and it has been busily apologising to all concerned. I helped launch this logo only a month ago, and, like most of the British public, I thought it was a great way of identifying British produce and only British produce. Subsequently, I have found out the tractor label can legally be placed on goods from abroad which reach the same farming standards as Britain. This is nothing short of a scandal. What farmers in this country want is an instantly recognisable logo that tells the public that a product is British and has reached certain standards of quality and welfare. Who, pray, is going to rush over to places like New Zealand to check on the standards of their farmers? On the face of it, the tractor scheme and use of one recognisable logo is a great way of supporting farmers who are doing a fabulous job ­ and wheedling out those who are still cutting corners and giving British produce a bad name. Now, the supermarkets insist they will not be using the logo on any imports. But the incident at the Royal Show makes me very nervous. Agriculture minister Nick Brown and the NFU's Ben Gill must do all they can to ensure the supermarkets do not renege on this deal and start putting the logo on imported products. Otherwise their great idea will turn out to be nothing more than one big con. {{NEWS }}

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