Why does it matter?

Red Tractor was set up by the NFU and others in 2000 to restore consumer confidence in British food.

Our core purpose then is the same as it is now, to reassure UK shoppers that British food and drink is safe and responsibly produced.

Twenty years on, Red Tractor has become the most trusted assurance scheme in the country, and buying British is now the number one choice for most consumers. At the heart of this transformation in the public’s attitude to British food is compliance with our standards.

Why do we demand that every standard is met every day?

Our standards are the very core of our business. We have measures in place to ensure that every single one is met every day. That’s how we protect the integrity of our members and the industry.

The fact is, poor compliance undermines businesses, damages the industry, increases costs and worsens financial performance.

How does being compliant benefit me?

Red Tractor members who comply with our standards will reap a range of rewards and benefits including:

• Access to some of the UK’s biggest supermarkets
• Widespread recognition that your products have been made to the highest standards
• The chance to maximise your returns and reduce the risks of things going wrong
• Keeps your business in good health and makes sure you meet legal requirements
• One assurance accreditation, one fee, one inspection

Put simply, being Red Tractor Assured protects your livelihood, boosts your reputation and safeguards your business. It even saves you money. And the more you put into your membership, the more you’ll get from it. We provide the standards our farmer members need to succeed.

Our standards are the very core of our business. We have measures in place to ensure that every single one is met every day. That’s how we protect the integrity of our members and the industry. The fact is, poor compliance undermines businesses, damages the industry, increases costs and worsens financial performance.   

We know a few of our members need extra support to stay on track. In some sectors we take a risk-based approach to inspections, including unannounced spot check visits. We adopt a fair and objective method of identifying high-risk members. This is an internal system which uses the nature and number of non-conformances to categorise each member according to reputational risk. We have found this is the best way to bring these members up to the required standards. 

What if a member isn’t fully compliant?

If during an assessment the farm or processor is found to be non-compliant against a standard due to a missed element of the requirements such as misplacing training documentation the assessor will raise a non-conformance. The member has 28 days to address the issue and provide evidence to their certification body that they have taken steps to be fully compliant. If they do so, their certification will be continuous. A new member cannot be certified until they are able to show all standards can be complied with.

When is a member suspended or withdrawn from the scheme?

Non-conformance Suspension 

If a non-conformance is not corrected within 28 days, the certification body will suspend certification. If an assessment finds a major non-compliance, such as a food safety issue, the suspension is immediate until evidence has been provided to the certification body that the site is now complying with the requirements of the standard. While a certificate is suspended, the member cannot sell any livestock or products as Red Tractor assured. 

Non-conformance withdrawal 

The suspension can last up to 3 months. If within this time period the member fails to show that they are fully compliant, their certificate will be withdrawn and their scheme membership revoked.

Alongside routine inspections, certification can be suspended or withdrawn if non-compliance issues raised by a third party can be fully substantiated.

If a member fails to show that they are now fully compliant, their scheme membership will be revoked.  

Alongside routine inspections, we can suspend or withdraw certification if non-compliance issues raised by a third party can be fully substantiated.