AHDB would like to make clear its position regarding annual funding provided to Red Tractor

[warksfarmer]

Right from the start it was never their intention to produce us a premium.
It was instigated purely for their own financial gain at our expense. There are people involved who should have known better and they saw us as a financial opportunity, never thinking for a moment that they could be overturned.

Precisely it’s pure fraud and the reaper is coming for all of them.

 

[Chris F]

Was this statement to placate you today, @Chris F in your meeting with them?

I'm very cynical about what they are trying to achieve and their ability to "listen" and "change"
The duplicity from the FOI makes me think not, regardless of this statement. It certainly helps BUT has typical civil service like speak. Ability in there to twist and turn.

Can you say what was discussed and reactions from the meeting @Chris F ?

I haven’t met with AHDB for a couple of weeks.

I have arranged a first meeting with AIC for this Friday. So totally different things. AHDB seem to suggest that alternative assurance schemes would be supported. Will be discussing this with AIC for sure.

I’d agree the FOI shows a very cosy relationship and common and agreed narrative. In one email RT even demand to know AHDB stance and that it should agree with theirs. I doubt Red Tractor agree with this one.

Ken Boyles, this is what change looks like.

 

[carbonfibre farmer]

I haven’t met with AHDB for a couple of weeks.

I have arranged a first meeting with AIC for this Friday. So totally different things. AHDB seem to suggest that alternative assurance schemes would be supported. Will be discussing this with AIC for sure.

I’d agree the FOI shows a very cosy relationship and common and agreed narrative. In one email RT even demand to know AHDB stance and that it should agree with theirs. I doubt Red Tractor agree with this one.

Ken Boyles, this is what change looks like.

my bad.
Getting the damn acronyms muddled up.

 

[Drillman]

Well I’m sure red tractor will be relishing having competition. Then they can really show us how good they are

I expect a press release from the chief exec in the near future

 

[Grass And Grain]

It's quite something really, because not only are AHDB saying RT isn't working and it needs to change, but they're also saying it having previously fully supported and financially backed RT. So they're criticising something that they themselves have been involved with running.

Just shows that letting processors and retailers have boardroom control was a fundamental strategic error.

It's a mission creep issue. More and more daft rules, and let's face it RT position themselves between buyer and seller as something which is wholly necessary, yet all they do is check the declarations in our records.

RT have been on a 20 year power trip. Untouchable. Indispensable. Arrogant. Whilst imports have had market access with ZERO farm assurance.

Good statement from AHDB. Still no proposed solution. Maybe this will help.

I think AHDB (and NFU) are unfortunately invested too deep into RT. And so they look to RT to produce the solution. Maybe the solution needs to come from outside of RT. The flip side to that is the thinking that it's better to have only one assurance brand. That's an understandable strategy, but we've seen the problems caused by having RT as a monopoly. Competition is good.

 

[Laggard]

Great work to everybody who has been involved getting us to this point. I don't want another assurance scheme to compete with Dead Tractor. I would like Great British Farmers to produce amazing food to our very high legal standards which would display a Union Jack, but no assurance schemes. Have very strict rules about what has been produced here ( not imported for a couple of weeks or just packaged here) and have a great legal team that stopped misuse of the Union Jack.

 

[Vader]

There are some good guys at the top as well

but also a LOT of rot as well


I sincerely hope they make the changes they need to before its too late, this is a big statement for AHDB. Just yesterday I was reading a email from RT to AHDB obtained under a FOIR saying they should get together to make sure their statements and responses were aligned - that just shows how in bed with one another these organizations WERE ......... clearly not now ........ this is divorce !

Must be breaking some rules or laws by getting statements to line up...?

 

[Grass And Grain]

Well I’m sure red tractor will be relishing having competition. Then they can really show us how good they are

I expect a press release from the chief exec in the near future

Hope he doesn't denigrate his own brand like last time, saying that miller's think assurance of imports is of a higher standard than the RT assurance

Classic Gerard Rather moment!

 

[andybk]

Great work to everybody who has been involved getting us to this point. I don't want another assurance scheme to compete with Dead Tractor. I would like Great British Farmers to produce amazing food to our very high legal standards which would display a Union Jack, but no assurance schemes. Have very strict rules about what has been produced here ( not imported for a couple of weeks or just packaged here) and have a great legal team that stopped misuse of the Union Jack.

and the union flag only used on uk grown stock or veg , not bagged or cut up here , , larry and co made a lot of money out of that con

 

[jg123]

Being a mixed farmer cropping 250ac but everything going back to livestock and being in Wales I have no involvement with red tractor so just wondering?

Is there something in particular bad about red tractor or is it no worse than all the livestock assurance schemes?

We have had a FAWL inspection, a full cattle tag and movement inspection, a lamb inspection, 3 different supermarket audits this year and last week had a cross compliance inspection, the only thing we havnt had this year was a council inspection and we passed everything. They all asked and looked for EXACTLY the same things so a complete waste of my time. Anyway thats besides the point.

Imported beef and lamb does not follow the same standards so are these threads focused on grain or everything?

Genuine questions, dont shoot

 

[Barleymow]

Being a mixed farmer cropping 250ac but everything going back to livestock and being in Wales I have no involvement with red tractor so just wondering?

Is there something in particular bad about red tractor or is it no worse than all the livestock assurance schemes?

We have had a FAWL inspection, a full cattle tag and movement inspection, a lamb inspection, 3 different supermarket audits this year and last week had a cross compliance inspection, the only thing we havnt had this year was a council inspection and we passed everything. They all asked and looked for EXACTLY the same things so a complete waste of my time. Anyway thats besides the point.

Imported beef and lamb does not follow the same standards so are these threads focused on grain or everything?

Genuine questions, dont shoot

Can't sell my milling wheat without rt , can't but rt bread or flour as its blended with imported. Mu merchant will buy my wheat without rt but at £5 ton under feed price that's £50 ish discount this year

 

[jg123]

Can't sell my milling wheat without rt , can't but rt bread or flour as its blended with imported. Mu merchant will buy my wheat without rt but at £5 ton under feed price that's £50 ish discount this year

Exactly the same for selling meat or milk, nearly no outlets without assurance but then chuck any imported meat you like on the shelves, and i dont doubt products like pies may well have a mixture of both.

 

[tullah]

These jokers have the power to put you out of business. Resist them in every way possible using plenty of imagination

 

[thorpe]

put this on another thread tonight if we all had to pay our rt subs on the same day they would have been finished years ago!

 

[Grass And Grain]

Being a mixed farmer cropping 250ac but everything going back to livestock and being in Wales I have no involvement with red tractor so just wondering?

Is there something in particular bad about red tractor or is it no worse than all the livestock assurance schemes?

We have had a FAWL inspection, a full cattle tag and movement inspection, a lamb inspection, 3 different supermarket audits this year and last week had a cross compliance inspection, the only thing we havnt had this year was a council inspection and we passed everything. They all asked and looked for EXACTLY the same things so a complete waste of my time. Anyway thats besides the point.

Imported beef and lamb does not follow the same standards so are these threads focused on grain or everything?

Genuine questions, dont shoot

We've focused on grain because

• We are grain farmers
• The mills set completely different standard for UK grain Vs imports.

Same could be highlighted for livestock if there is a difference in standards. E.g. compare RT pork standards to Danish Crown. Danish Crown assurancr scheme is a 36 month inspection and billing period vs 12 month billing for RT.

 

[Farma Parma]

It's going to be all change in the FA sector. It's going to get shaken up.

AIC mutually recognised EFISC-GTP importers scheme allows grain to be trade assured with NO farm assurance AND NO gatekeeper lab testing assurance. That's right, no assurance at all when it reaches the mill intake.

Members of UK Flour Millers will purchase imports under the EFISC-GTP scheme, yet they say we've to be RT assured.

Its like a Cartell this & it all stinks (Spelling error sorted soz)

 

[jg123]

We've focused on grain because

• We are grain farmers
• The mills set completely different standard for UK grain Vs imports.

Same could be highlighted for livestock if there is a difference in standards. E.g. compare RT pork standards to Danish Crown. Danish Crown assurancr scheme is a 36 month inspection and billing period vs 12 month billing for RT.

Ye completely different standards in wales vs brazil.

Im not moaning, push the grain issue and set the precedent ready for livestock to follow. Im not trying to drop our livestock standards just the hypocrisy.

 

[Clive]

The top has just had a whole refresh in the last year

most of the top

It still has some “issues” it seems

 

[Clive]

Ye completely different standards in wales vs brazil.

Im not moaning, push the grain issue and set the precedent ready for livestock to follow. Im not trying to drop our livestock standards just the hypocrisy.

how to eat an elephant ? one mouthful at a time

 

[jg123]

how to eat an elephant ? one mouthful at a time

Now thats definitely not an assured meat!