I’m pleased to update you on the latest discussions of the Red Tractor Poultry Sector Board.
The Sector Board debated the retailer-led industry change to stocking birds at 30kg/m2 and agreed to continue monitoring developments before considering if Red Tractor could support with a potential solution to auditing, certification and marketing. The industry is in a period of transition and the nature of these changes was debated within the Sector Board; farmer, processor and retailer representatives contributed to this discussion. The poultry industry has asked Red Tractor not to audit any additional retail initiatives at this point in time. However, it was agreed to include the issue as a standing agenda item for the foreseeable Sector Board meetings as at some stage in the future there may be a role to help ensure audit efficiency at a farm level, and verification of claims at a retail level.
The Sector Board also discussed the pilot on managing poultry litter applications to land within the poultry sector. It was agreed that a meaningful approach must involve the wider agriculture industry. The Sector Board has recommended a discussion across the wider organisation and associated stakeholders.
Following the publication of the Red Tractor Governance Handbook and with an eye on the future of assurance and standards development, the Technical Advisory Committee terms of reference were discussed. The Sector Board agreed this new proposal was a good direction of travel. The short, medium, and long term changes in ways of improving assurance were discussed and it was agreed to keep the Sector Board abreast of developments. These range from improvements to the portal for integrated businesses to a review of whether welfare outcome data could help improve streamline the audit process and robustness of the scheme. The Sector Board will continue to consider how they can contribute to this work.
Finally, we bid a a fond farewell to Philip Wilkinson, who retires from our Sector Board after many years working with Red Tractor. He has represented both dairy and poultry at the main Board over the last 20 years and latterly supported the poultry Sector Board for a number of years as a BPC representative. On behalf of the whole Sector Board, I would like to thank Philip for his years of contribution to Red Tractor.
As ever, thanks for your continued support of Red Tractor.
Kind regards,
Iain Gardner,
Chair, Red Tractor Poultry Board
Poultry Board members:
Clay Burrows – QBT
James Mottershead – NFU
Gavin Foster – BPC
Philip Wilkinson OBE – BPC
David Neilson – Integrator
Tom Meeson – British Retail Consortium
Natalie Smith – Retailer
David Gibson – BPC
Jonty Hay – NFU
Judith Irons – TAC Chair
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