AHDB and Red Tractor

Sid

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
South Molton
I was told AHDB were being very cautious with any spending and commitment due to the possible voting process in the pipeline yet have appointed 5 new members

Screenshot_20210917-070816_Twitter.jpg


 

Grass And Grain

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Yorks
I imagine AHDB have supported RT for some genuinely good reasons.

Unfortunately, it's led to the market access issue.

This was foreseeable. It's not rocket science.

If you support RT, which was going to promote its own brand, and try to convince end users to only putchase RT grain, then it was obvious UK producer's would be forced into joining RT.

This all happened in the knowledge that most grain exporting countries had no farm assurance schemes, so they were still going to supply soya into UK feed milks with no farm assurance, yet I was forced into RT assurance to sell my feed beans which would get blended into the same animal feed.

Marketing and strategic disaster by our development board and NFU.

That's created cutting off markets to levy payers, not developing markets.

AHDB and NFU need tp fix it. Theu need to provide a level playingfield for market access to their levy payers, and they need to sort it out quickly.
 

JP1

Member
Livestock Farmer
You are obviously working on this @Grass And Grain and it appears from your post that you have been in contact with MGS and Paul Temple. My concern is that there may be changes in these key people prior to any vote. I am not sure but i have a feeling that Paul Temples period of office must be almost at an end (unless extended). Is there a risk that the Chair may change at a critical moment?
MGS has been with AHDB/HGCA for a good many years and is a respected person. However it has been well documented in the press that senior management positions at AHDB are under review; none of us know where that axe might fall. Some big changes to come .........
As an aside there's pressure coming from the NPA that pig levy money is ring fenced by AHDB so that in future crisis circumstances this money can be used for a fighting fund for euthansaia programmes etc. Currently the rules that DEFRA maintain disallow this . Another critical point over the next two-three weeks
 

An Gof

Member
Location
Cornwall
As an aside there's pressure coming from the NPA that pig levy money is ring fenced by AHDB so that in future crisis circumstances this money can be used for a fighting fund for euthansaia programmes etc. Currently the rules that DEFRA maintain disallow this . Another critical point over the next two-three weeks

Not sure I understand this. I beleive that all levy receipts are hypothecated to the sector from which they were raised. Only spending on overhead services and back office costs come out of that. The rest is for the sector at the discretion of the sector board.
 

JP1

Member
Livestock Farmer
Not sure I understand this. I beleive that all levy receipts are hypothecated to the sector from which they were raised. Only spending on overhead services and back office costs come out of that. The rest is for the sector at the discretion of the sector board.
It's not. There are DEFRA rules which they claim are to do with international trading laws. It's something they are trying to redress now
 

An Gof

Member
Location
Cornwall
No they ring fence levy money that DEFRA says cannot be used for trade purposes. Frankly the dire straits the pig industry is in right now I think it's deplorable the levy money cannot be used on welfare grounds

Ah, I understand now. But this is not a trade issue it’s going to be a huge welfare issue.
On Farming Today this morning the backlog is running at about 25% of pigs.
Knock 25% off the pig demand for UK cereals and the knock on effect will soon work it’s way around 🤦
Not good news for any of us.
 

JP1

Member
Livestock Farmer
Ah, I understand now. But this is not a trade issue it’s going to be a huge welfare issue.
On Farming Today this morning the backlog is running at about 25% of pigs.
Knock 25% off the pig demand for UK cereals and the knock on effect will soon work it’s way around 🤦
Not good news for any of us.
I've been involved in long meetings for weeks now. What I do know is that the NPA team (exec and Council) have been working their socks off on this, really genuinely know and care about all who are in such dire straits now. We're lucky to have them helping

Rollover is way North of 85000 finished pigs, many going overweight and out of spec

22000 sows known to be coming out of production / producers giving up breeding etc
 

An Gof

Member
Location
Cornwall
I've been involved in long meetings for weeks now. What I do know is that the NPA team (exec and Council) have been working their socks off on this, really genuinely know and care about all who are in such dire straits now. We're lucky to have them helping

Rollover is way North of 85000 finished pigs, many going overweight and out of spec

22000 sows known to be coming out of production / producers giving up breeding etc

I have huge respect for Zoe Davies she is always excellent when I have heard her speak at NFU Council.
 

JP1

Member
Livestock Farmer
I have huge respect for Zoe Davies she is always excellent when I have heard her speak at NFU Council.
I'd agree with that . Lizzie Wilson , Becca Veale , Andrea Tranter in the office and Charlie Dewhirst. Small tight knit and focussed group . No ivory towers and lots of industry engagement. As I said we're very lucky to have them
 

stroller

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Somerset UK
I've been involved in long meetings for weeks now. What I do know is that the NPA team (exec and Council) have been working their socks off on this, really genuinely know and care about all who are in such dire straits now. We're lucky to have them helping

Rollover is way North of 85000 finished pigs, many going overweight and out of spec

22000 sows known to be coming out of production / producers giving up breeding etc
There will be a shortage next year and expensive pork then.
 

JP1

Member
Livestock Farmer
There will be a shortage next year and expensive pork then.
Maybe. Depends on how long and how far we export our market due to Gov action. Coming close after this immediate crisis is the noises off about farrowing crates etc.

The last industry contraction was 800,000 to about 400,000 sows and it never recovered
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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    Votes: 79 42.5%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 65 34.9%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.1%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 6 3.2%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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