23 April 2025
Making Certification Easier and More Affordable for Fresh Produce Members
At Red Tractor, we’ve been dedicated to making certification more efficient, cost-effective, and grower-friendly for Fresh Produce members. By benchmarking our standards against major farm assurance schemes, we eliminate duplication, cut audit costs, and simplify the compliance process.
Streamlining Through Benchmarking: GLOBALG.A.P. IFA Fruit & Vegetables (and Hops)
By benchmarking with GLOBALG.A.P. IFA Fruit & Vegetables (and Hops), we now offer dual certification via a single joint assessment.
✅ No separate audits
✅ Less paperwork
✅ Faster compliance
✅ Easier access to domestic and international markets
Growers can also complete GLOBALG.A.P. add-ons like GRASP at the same time, maximising efficiency without extra site visits.
Collaboration with McDonald’s: Reducing Duplication for Leafy Salad Growers
In 2023, a policy change by McDonald’s increased audit demands for UK leafy salad growers.
In response, Red Tractor worked closely with McDonald’s to create a bespoke add-on that integrates directly into the Red Tractor audit.
✅ Single assessment
✅ Lower costs
✅ Reduced audit times
This pilot project is making a real difference for growers, cutting out duplication while maintaining high standards.
Integrated Tesco Nurture Requirements: One Assessment, Complete Compliance
Before 2018, growers supplying Tesco had to undergo a separate Tesco Nurture audit. Since April 2018, Tesco’s additional food safety standards have been fully integrated into the Red Tractor Fresh Produce audit.
✅ No more extra audits
✅ Lower audit costs
✅ Strong alignment with Tesco’s quality, food safety, and environmental expectations
Achieving Gold Status: Recognised Excellence with SAI Platform’s FSA 3.0
On 1st February 2025, our updated Red Tractor Fresh Produce standards achieved Gold Benchmark status from the SAI Platform’s Farm Sustainability Assessment 3.0 (FSA).
This major milestone allows Fresh Produce growers to:
🌎 Demonstrate compliance with international environmental standards
🌎 Strengthen their global market access
🌎 Showcase their commitment to sustainability
What Growers Are Saying
“Incorporating benchmarking and add-ons has helped simplify the audit process on-farm. By aligning multiple standards—including Red Tractor, LEAF, Tesco, GlobalG.A.P + GRASP, and McDonald’s—we’ve reduced duplication and streamlined assessments. Carrying out these audits on the same day with a single assessor has made the process more manageable while ensuring we continue to exceed customer assurance requirements.”
D’Arcie Rice, Senior Commercial & Technical Manager at G’s
Committed to Continuous Improvement
At Red Tractor, we’re committed to:
🌱 Supporting growers with more efficient and globally recognised certification
🌱 Addressing additional audit burdens created by processor and customer audits
🌱 Working with retailers to find practical solutions that benefit the entire supply chain
We’ll be consulting with sector boards, processors, and customers to drive further improvements and build a better future for Fresh Produce growers.
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