Red Tractor commits to delivering tangible, positive change for farmers

The food assurance scheme promises significant improvements following the publication of the once-in-a-generation Farm Assurance Review.

25 March 2025: Red Tractor has today responded in full to the Farm Assurance Review, with the Red Tractor Board of Directors (The Board) issuing a statement welcoming the independent review of the way farm assurance works in UK. The Board – comprising farmers, NFU, AHDB, retailers, processors and independent experts – has committed Red Tractor to a wide-ranging programme of improvements.  

Red Tractor has responded to each of the nine strategic recommendations provided by the Farm Assurance Review’s independent commissioners, and outlined the actions it will take towards delivering the 56 detailed recommendations. This comprehensive response follows an intensive period of reflection and consultation among all Red Tractor’s Sector Board food and farming industry representatives and independent experts.  

The Board’s response 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”.  

Alistair Mackintosh, interim Chair of the Red Tractor Board commented: “All involved with Red Tractor want farmers to feel heard, involved and proud to be part of Red Tractor. The detailed response published today is testament to our genuine commitment to deliver real change for farmers. 

“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.” 

Jim Moseley, Red Tractor CEO commented: “This review is a turning point for farm assurance in the UK. It is a call to action for all farm assurance schemes to deliver better outcomes for farmers and producers. 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.” 

Red Tractor has begun work to streamline standards, improve audit efficiency and embrace new technology, all of which should reduce the audit burden for farmers. The scheme will also focus on improving how it communicates, particularly with farmers and growers. 

Red Tractor also welcomes news of the appointment of the Review’s lead commissioner Dr David Llewellyn to monitor delivery against the recommendations. Red Tractor will be submitting updates to Dr Llewellyn directly, as well as regularly updating on progress through a dedicated page on its website: redtractor.org.uk/FAR  

Comments from Red Tractor Board members:

David Exwood, Industry Director, NFU: “I welcome the positive response to the Farm Assurance Review from Red Tractor and the input from all the sector boards. It demonstrates a desire to listen and make changes where appropriate. The key now is that we collectively use this opportunity as a reset moment, giving farmers a stronger voice in assurance, delivering better outcomes for everyone involved. I feel we are now on the right track, ready to make positive changes at pace.” 

Will Jackson, Industry Director, AHDB: “The Farm Assurance Report has given the industry the firepower to drive positive change. The response to this report from Red Tractor demonstrates their clear commitment to change. The actions outlined are significant in ensuring the future success of assurance.”  

David Neilson, Industry Director, British Poultry Council: “The British Poultry Council welcome the findings of the Farm Assurance Review. We look forward to working with the Red Tractor team to apply the recommendations and build on the foundations already in place.”  

Dean Holroyd, Industry Director, British Meat Processing Association: “On behalf of BMPA and its membership I welcome the FAR and the opportunity to deliver material change for a modern, efficient and valued Farm Assurance system that delivers benefits for the whole supply chain. Key within this is resetting relationships with the farming community as equitable partners that are invested in delivering assurance that is agile to meet changing needs, eases the audit burden and makes greater use of technology. I look forward to using our position along with the rest of the board to seize this opportunity to deliver the much-needed actions committed to by the Red Tractor Board and leadership team as part of the FAR review.” 

John Dracup, Beef & Lamb Sector Chair: “Red Tractor has engaged with and seriously considered its response, which is to embrace the recommendations and implement them through collaboration with our stakeholders. Some of the recommendations may be challenging, uncomfortable and not popular with all, but recommendations cannot be viewed in isolation all the recommendations of the report need to be considered.”  

Tim Lock, Dairy Sector Chair: “In the dairy sector the Farm Assurance Review provides a useful platform from which Red Tractor can redouble its commitment to engage with farmers across all four nations of the United Kingdom, in order to reduce audit burden on farm without diminishing the rigour of our standards. This point in time will be a valuable reference point to measure progress towards those goals.”  

Kit Papworth, Combinable Crops and Sugar Beet Sector Chair: “The UK FAR calls for action on all parts of the combinable crops sector which, as chair of the Red Tractor Combinable Crops and Sugar Beet Board, I fully support. It also signals the opportunity for us to re-engage with farmers, rebuilding trust and confidence. Red Tractor will undertake all of the steps suggested of it in the UKFAR. Combinable crops is the only sector singled out for specific recommendations with wider crops supply chain organisations and AHDB identified to lead this work. The RT team is fully committed to helping and supporting all these stakeholders to establish how best to address the import equivalence challenge for the sector.”  

Stewart Houston, Pigs Sector Chair: “The Pig Sector Board is dedicated to delivering the relevant recommendations listed in the Farm Assurance Review. Working with our processor and retail colleagues we will invest in a particular focus on reducing audit duplication and refining standards, including new standards to meet the whole industry’s needs.”  

Iain Gardner, Poultry Sector Chair: “I am looking forward to working with the poultry sector board to improve communications with farmers, increase the consistency of audits and improve technology to reduce audit burden.”  

Lucy MacLennan, Fresh Produce Sector Chair: “There is enormous potential for Red Tractor to lead the change that is needed, through harnessing it’s unique position and better utilising technology such as its online portal. It is also necessary to recognise the role of certification bodies in this activity and to ensure that they are actively included in the development of appropriate solutions.”  

Red Tractor’s full response to the Farm Assurance Review

Click here to read the Board’s full response to the Farm Assurance Review, including responses to the 9 strategic recommendations and 56 detailed recommendations.

The view from Red Tractor’s Sector Boards

Red Tractor’s Sector Boards, comprising farmers, processors, retailers, and independent experts, discussed the FAR in their February meetings. Their insights were vital in shaping Red Tractor’s response. Read the details of these discussions here. 

About the Farm Assurance Review

The UK Farm Assurance Review is an independent initiative sponsored by the NFU, NFU Scotland, UFU and AHDB. It aims to assess and modernise the UK’s farm assurance schemes to ensure they remain relevant and effective in a post-Brexit and increasingly food-conscious world. The Commissioners of the review have published a detailed report, including nine strategic and 56 detailed recommendations for action by numerous organisations.