Suspended from Red Tractor

DrWazzock · May 28, 2017

PSQ said:
FFS, no, that's what RT are for.
16 pages of whining about having to tick a box once a month, and none of you have the wit to see that your better of in the frying pan than the fire.

Whatever, I'll leave you all to bitch and moan about how awful it is having to maintain 'professional standards'

If you actually read the procedure or have an inspection you'll find you have to do a damn sight more than tick a box once a month to comply with RT rodent control rules!

Our inspector suggested the rat bait should be weighed out at every bait station though he did have difficulty keeping a straight face as he told us.

The point people are trying to make, and it's a valid point, is that the rules are being overdone and thresholds for suspension are too draconian.

Nobody wants any sort of contaminants in grain ideally and we don't mind following reasonable procedures to keep them out, but if something does go wrong let's be reasonable about it. A phone call would be a bit more courteous just to discuss the matter and clear up any concerns. Suspending people from the scheme should only be a last resort if the member has wilfully ignored advice to comply, which clearly isn't the case with the OP. That's the point here.

Steevo · May 28, 2017

Soooo...what do people think SHOULD be done?

Trying to move forward and all that...!

Bury the Trash · May 28, 2017

Steevo said:
Soooo...what do people think SHOULD be done?

Trying to move forward and all that...!

one very simple thing would be to not need to get a certificate to get rat /mouse bait if you are a farmer

Raider112 · May 29, 2017

PSQ said:
£300,000 fine for mice @ ASDA
A slap on the wrist for mice @Clive
And farmers love to rant about 'double standards'...

The difference is that Asda caused a risk to human health by not enforcing procedure in an area where the public's safety was put at risk and Clive had mouse sh1t on a raw ingredient that was to used to produce food. Certainly no worse than having a slug on an apple or strawberry for example.

Kiwi Pete · May 29, 2017

7610 super q said:
why we receive 17th Century prices for our produce.......

Because a portion of farm income is a payment to keep 19th century aesthetic appeal into the 21st century?
Can't be on the swing and the roundabout at the same time.

I'll grab my coat, naughty step is freezing!!

Kiwi Pete · May 29, 2017

Steevo said:
Soooo...what do people think SHOULD be done?

Trying to move forward and all that...!

The obvious thing to do would be set up your own, much higher, but easier to fathom set of standards.
Thus making the Red Tractor redundant..
It wouldn't work because:
Farmers are harder to row up than jumping spiders
They'd still be part of RT until it was proved to be overtaken by the new scheme
Pen pushers have amazing will to live
It would be hard to beat the system that's already in place, no matter how restrictive and stupid it is
Once again, the ability to get a majority of farmers to boycott a "protection racket" and form their own gang is about as likely as getting every bee in England into one room.

Henarar · May 29, 2017

Every one tell them to stick it up their arse
What they gonna do about it

Henarar · May 29, 2017

We never did find out what make and model of red tractor he got suspended from
I take it it had a loader on it?

Kiwi Pete · May 29, 2017

Henarar said:
We never did find out what make and model of red tractor he got suspended from
I take it it had a loader on it?

Surely it can't be that bad ?

FonterraFarmer · May 29, 2017

Kiwi Pete said:
Because a portion of farm income is a payment to keep 19th century aesthetic appeal into the 21st century?
Can't be on the swing and the roundabout at the same time.

I'll grab my coat, naughty step is freezing!!

You can still sit in the corner, with a road cone on your head too....

Banana Bar · May 29, 2017

Cowabunga said:
Yes, but it wasn't just one mouse dropping. The place was filthy.

As I previously said, the Tesco at a nearby town, not my local Tesco, has problems with little songbirds, which once they get in, which they do, take days to catch. They poo on the tables in the cafe and peck at bags of food on the shelves.

Never have they been shut down and told that they cannot sell their produce. Never! This is retail food that not going for further processing and, in the case of their cafe, is being served off the very tables the birds have shat on.

Double standard or what!

I always think this when having a meal in a pub garden. See plenty of kids eating dropped food off the tables. Don't see many ambulances picking them up to take them to A&E!

DrWazzock · May 29, 2017

Unbeknown to me a poisoned rat got into my household hot water header tank and drowned. For a fortnight I showered and washed my food and my dishes in water contaminated by decaying rat. It was only when the water turned slightly brown and began to stink that I investigated and discovered the decomposing rat. I lifted it out with a garden rake but bits of it broke off so I had to flush the system. As a precaution I rang NHS direct to see if I should take any medication or might need a check up, fearing Weils disease or something similar. They said I'd be fine as the human body has evolved a fair old tolerance to that kind of thing over the millennia. They were more concerned by the rat poison. But I'm still here.

The point of this experience? Let's keep risk in perspective. If a grain store is found to be harbouring live rodents then probably a case for suspending membership. The occasional mouse dropping in a 30 tonne load could flag up a warning but shouldn't lead to suspension.

Keep the action and measures proportionate to the risk.

roscoe erf · May 29, 2017

Steevo said:
Soooo...what do people think SHOULD be done?

Trying to move forward and all that...!

take pride in the job like we used to

7610 super q · May 29, 2017

2 points to clear up, what, what.

(1) " Other industries have it worse". What industries ? Those that weren't lost in the industrial disputes in the 70's are now uncompetitive with world markets due to red tape, and higher costs. (hint, hint)
(2) Subsidies.

Why does this crop up in every single thread ? We'll still get 17th Century prices with or without subs. We are competing on a world market.

So we should keep on with RT, and give ourselves a £5 T disadvantage to the rest of the world ?
I can't understand those who want even more of this crap. We managed fine without it for 4000 years.

Cowabunga · May 29, 2017

Banana Bar said:
I always think this when having a meal in a pub garden. See plenty of kids eating dropped food off the tables. Don't see many ambulances picking them up to take them to A&E!

That happens four to six hours later.

7610 super q · May 29, 2017

And take a look at this.....If you want to break up a ship in other parts of the world, you ram the f**ker as high up on a beach as you can, and set to with a gasaxe.
Can you imagine doing that in this Country ?
You'd have to contend with the Environment Agency, Marine conservancy council, planning, Elf n safety, National parks........
God forbid they find a mouse dropping on board.

roscoe erf · May 29, 2017

7610 super q said:
And take a look at this.....If you want to break up a ship in other parts of the world, you ram the fudgeer as high up on a beach as you can, and set to with a gasaxe.
Can you imagine doing that in this Country ?
You'd have to contend with the Environment Agency, Marine conservancy council, planning, Elf n safety, National parks........
God forbid they find a mouse dropping on board.

open toed sandals love it

Steevo · May 29, 2017

Better or worse than one mouse dropping? Sealed can delivered to chemical store.

Clive · May 29, 2017

Robt said:
So after 16 pages, there was mice poop found in your sample, you've been suspended rather than murdered. Only you named yourself . You've slagged off NFU ( ps I'm not a fan of them) and what result.
You sell food into food chain.... what would you do if you found mouse poop in your macdonalad....rant and rave on here?
I agree Red tractor is rubbish but this isn't the platform or excuse to knock them! As far as I see they are doing their job correctly

The grain was rejected, the mill did its job, the load went to feed chickens instead, I'm really not fussed about chickens eating mouse poo, they probably enjoy it ! It certainly doesn't pose any risk to the human food chain and it's unrealistic to think for a moment that there are no mice on any farms just because Red Tractor said there wasn't !

So I'm unsure how you think RT are involved in keeping mouse poo out of macdonalds exactly ?

There role is to take money for what is a mostly dishonest paper trail

Trying to do something about it is surly better than life as a sheep who pays his money, tells the lies to tick the boxes

Clive · May 29, 2017

fudge said:
Do think all cases of rodent crap in grain should be reported to trading standards?
I don't know the circumstances of the ASDA case. In Clive's case would it be possible to prove that the mouse actually lived in the grain store?
Prosecutions have to be in the public interest otherwise you risk wasting a huge amount of public money.

Are your for real ? Are you going to tell me you have a mouse free farm ?

Seriously ? There is no such thing

You really think I should be prosecuted because a single piece of mouse poo was found in a load of wheat that went to feed chickens

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