Red Tractor is advocating for MPs to support farmers by addressing critical policy challenges affecting the agricultural sector.
With over 46,000 farmer members and 800 processors contributing more than £17 billion to the economy, Red Tractor highlights the significant pressures these stakeholders face. These include rising input costs, extreme weather events and regulatory complexities. This is in a submission the Environment, Farming, Rural and Agriculture (EFRA) Parliamentary Select Committee, which scrutinises Defra.
Three Areas for Action:
1. Reducing the Audit Burden:
Farmers are overwhelmed by the duplication of audits from multiple regulators. Red Tractor is proposing an expansion of earned recognition, which allows for a reduction in the frequency of inspections for certified farms who have already demonstrated good compliance through independent assessments.
This model has already proven effective with the Food Standards Authority, where inspections against relevant food and feed hygiene legislation for long-standing members have decreased significantly.
2. Rethinking Mandatory Animal Welfare Labelling:
The introduction of mandatory labelling for animal welfare, particularly for pigs and poultry, is being considered by Defra.
Red Tractor is arguing that this could increase costs, confuse consumers and undermine their trust in farmers, the food industry and third party assurance schemes.
Red Tractor is therefore urging MPs to challenge this proposal and advocate for labelling policies that support farmers.
3. Addressing the Impact of Devolved Administrations:
The divergence in policies between English devolved administrations has led to increased inconsistency and risks farmers being treated differently between borders despite operating in the same UK-wide market.
Red Tractor calls for MPs to promote collaboration between Defra and these administrations to create a more unified approach, ensuring efficiency and sustainability in farming practices across the UK.
How MPs Can Help:
Red Tractor is asking MPs sitting on the EFRA Committee to focus on initiatives that alleviate burdens on farmers and streamline regulations. We have also invited MPs to join a Red Tractor assessment, providing them with firsthand experience of the skill and expertise of our members, as well as the challenges and standards within modern farming.
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