Dear Members,
The Dairy Sector Board met in London on the 17 June 2025. This is a critical time for Red Tractor in generating the momentum needed to deliver improvements for farmers. The Red Tractor team is working incredibly hard to put the building blocks for change in place, and there was high level of engagement of the Sector Board members which led to a productive meeting.
The discussion focused on the following topics:
Putting foundations in place for reviewing standards:
The Red Tractor team is developing a timeline to review its standards. Stakeholder consultation will be a critical part of this process with any changes expected to come into force in early 2027. The Sector Board reviewed and agreed a draft policy setting out the principles for standards development. The group also reviewed a new Sector Board Terms of Reference, which details expectations of members, the recruitment process and ways of working. These were agreed by the Dairy Board. Following review by other Sector Boards the final draft of both policies will be presented to the Red Tractor Standards Committee and the AFS Board for final approval.
Developing a strategy for reviewing dairy standards:
General principles for reviewing dairy standards were discussed, with on-farm experiences and future proofing standards identified as key areas to address. Data was a particular consideration, and the board began to explore how data can be collected to benefit members by reducing audit burden.
Animal welfare was another consideration as one of the key pillars of Red Tractor; as industry dynamics have changed this was discussed in relation to indoor herds given the current trend towards housed systems. The environment was the third topic for consideration, with particular focus on nutrient management to protect water and how we can work more closely with the Dairy Road Map.
The next step is for the Red Tractor team to develop a briefing to direct standards development. This will be reviewed by the Sector Board before being used to brief the Dairy Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The TAC includes representatives from across the sector and will have a key role in developing the detail of future dairy standards.
I was pleased to share that Amy Jackson, who is highly regarded for her communications work with farmers, and has a background in the dairy industry, has agreed to chair the Dairy TAC.
Data to drive compliance:
Red Tractor is exploring wider use of data to drive compliance, as recommended by the Farm Assurance Review (1.6). The dairy sector is a data rich industry and therefore Red Tractor will use this sector to pilot its approach. Red Tractor already shares compliance levels for specific standards with RUMA and is working with the dairy welfare strategy to inform where Red Tractor can play a role in baseline data. The TAC will further support in identifying further opportunities to use data to drive compliance. The board also discussed a proposal put forward by Dairy UK which is looking at opportunities to encourage wider use of the medicine hub by members.
The importance of ensuring that there is balanced representation of stakeholders from the industry on the Sector Board was also discussed and agreed.
To conclude, Jo Miller, Director of Communications and Engagement, presented Red Tractor’s Communications Strategy for the next 12 months which primarily focuses on building farmer trust and engagement.
Best regards, Tim Lock,
Chair, Red Tractor Dairy Board
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