What Red Tractor credentials mean for Fresh Produce scheme members
Market access – farm assurance is required to enter the retail supply chains.
- Standards are designed with input from stakeholders representing every part of the supply chain.
- Retailers insist on this level of assurance – without Red Tractor, producers still need to demonstrate due diligence through an alternative scheme which may not be as bespoke for UK requirements or through retailer specific assessments.
Due diligence – critical to show necessary steps have been taken on matters such as food safety, health and safety.
- This is an important legal defence should something go wrong.
- Strong traceability systems have supported swift action where specific issues identified.
- UK fresh produce sector has a very good record on food safety and traceability compared with other countries. Outbreaks of E. coli and Listeriosis in other countries demonstrate the ever-present risks.
Smaller producers have board representation, giving them a voice where they may not have one in other assurance schemes.
Powerful for industry confidence
- For example, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) makes it easy to show how producers are using pesticides responsibly.
- Red Tractor incorporates legislation and global norms for the safe and effective management of pests and disease.
- The Expert Committee on Pesticide Residues in Food’s pesticide residue monitoring programme shows that UK fresh produce is less likely to have pesticide residues and maximum reside limit exceedances than imported produce.
Exporting produce
- Growers can obtain a GLOBALG.A.P. certificate through successful completion of a Red Tractor fresh produce assessment – no further assessment is needed. This provides a simple solution for growers who want to export their produce.
Membership grants access to the Fera Liaison website, a database for checking pesticide approval information.
Membership grants baseline entry for farms wishing to complete LEAF Marque.
A.P. benchmarking permits Red Tractor certified farms who access the benchmark to complete GG modular add-ons, such as GRASP, which are a requirement in some supply chains.
Membership provides a solution to need for British Retail Consortium Global Standards certified manufacturers/processors to manage supplier approval through a supplier auditing system – providing even greater market access.