With the November Crops Sector Board coming less than a week after a Budget that potentially impacts farming legacies as well as a raft of other policy changes amongst the backdrop of one of the most difficult farming years that many growers have faced, it was hard to open with any other message. Everyone at Red Tractor agreed that it was important to be mindful of these external stresses affecting our members.
The Sector Board continued its discussions regarding the Future of Assurance project, emphasising the need for securing greater recognition between third-party assurance schemes and the importance of using technology that is accessible for farmers to help reduce audit burden.
There was a strong consensus on the need for Red Tractor to move to a system of outcome-based audits, reducing the paperwork burden. Colleagues suggested that we could achieve this through promoting best practices within standards, as a way to improve compliance. Colleagues also noted that most of our standards are legislative in nature, not solely crafted by Red Tractor and where they are above legislation, it is at the behest of the stakeholders around the table.
The meeting outlined short, medium, and long-term goals for the Future of Assurance project, focusing on enhancing the role of Technical Advisory Committees and ensuring a broad range of perspectives from across the supply chain. Data security and the careful consideration of data usage with very strict parameters were identified as essential to maintaining trust among farmers.
AHDB representatives updated the board on the progress of their cereals benchmarking review of assurance. The Red Tractor team look forward to working with AHDB colleagues in interpreting where the conclusions drawn from this project can help alongside the wider work in the future of assurance and, in particular, our work to date on a potential Entry Level standard.
There was a positive round table discussion about a couple of the current standards that are difficult for growers to be compliant with – more work to finding solutions was agreed. Sector Board members also received an update on the ongoing technical difficulties imposed by the European Commission which are hampering our ability to maintain compliance with the Renewable Energy Directive in the future.
Thank you for your continued commitment to the Red Tractor standards. We will keep you informed of any further developments.
Kind regards,
Kit Papworth,
Chair, Combinable Crops and Sugarbeet Board.
Members of the Crops board:
Angela Bowden – Oilseed Crushers
Jamie Burrows – Cereals grower
James Cox – Cereals grower
Matthew Culley – Cereals grower
Julian South – MAGB
Patrick Mitton – Pesticide Issues Consultant
Brin Hughes – BOBMA
Tom Wood – AIC/Grain Merchants
Peter Chandley – Weetabix
David Eudall – AHDB
Nick Morris – Sugar manufacturer
Alistair Gale – UK Flour Millers
Gill Barrow – AIC/Grain Merchants
Ed Dale – Sugar beet grower
Nigel Davies – TAC Chair
Harriette Roberts – BRC
