- Location
- Darlington
What about blue tractor, are you being Fordist?Dear Customer, while shopping,
"When looking at labels, which food is better for you and produced to a higher standard? Green Tractor / Red Tractor / Orange Tractor "
What about blue tractor, are you being Fordist?Dear Customer, while shopping,
"When looking at labels, which food is better for you and produced to a higher standard? Green Tractor / Red Tractor / Orange Tractor "
Or just Quality TractorDear Customer, while shopping,
"When looking at labels, which food is better for you and produced to a higher standard? Green Tractor / Red Tractor / Orange Tractor "
Or country quality and ditch the tractor too?Or just Quality Tractor
Here’s a thought.
I know that RT assurance has cost me quite a bit over the past 20+ years; directly in terms of the fees charged and indirectly in terms of levys on my produce and the extra office- time required to jump through the extra hoops that are presented.
What I have received in return for my money is unclear. As far as I remember the scheme was originally sold as a way to realise a premium for our produce. This rapidly seemed to morph into RT being a ‘gatekeeper’ organisation, whereby I have to be assured to send my grain to the local silo, and I have to be assured to send my cattle to the abattoir (they’re organic, so I can’t take them to the mart without losing the small but real premium on them).
Like everyone else who is farm assured, I’ve regularly had guff through the post extolling RTs brilliance and I strongly suspect it’s all a load of rubbish because I don’t believe it’s something that customers seek out therefore it adds no value.
Just wondering; could we commission a piece of independent research into what factors customers take into account when buying products in the supermarket? Thinking about, say, beef and lamb (my main areas), I strongly suspect that customers will buy mainly on factors such as price and maybe where the animals were produced and how long the meat has been aged. I suspect that virtually no-one goes into a shop looking for the red tractor symbol, or could take a stab at its meaning if asked.
It would be good to have something concrete to throw back at RT next time we’re told what a good job they’re doing on our behalf.
What do you think @Clive @Chris F ? Personally I’d be happy to sling a few tenners in a fund for such a piece of research, but personally I wouldn’t have a clue how to start organising it.
Or just Quality Tractor
I have an inspection on the 21st Jan also. Going ahead thus far...Interesting we’ve an inspection on the 18th and it’s all going ahead as far as I know..
I think there is a risk that some vet practices may be unwilling to supply meds for farmers to administer, if they have no input into how, where and how appropriately they are used.
The health plan meeting with coffee, at least let's vets see the farm once a year to continue to justify the supply of appropriate antibiotics, etc for the farmer to responsibly administer, without the need tor vet to sign each treatment off.
Personally I think it a very worthwhile hour spent.
How about this - "BRITISH". ?
I've even knocked up a nice logo for you ............. doesn't need a lot of marketing budget, I think most understand what it means !
View attachment 1008271
All very nice.. and I get 100% at what you're saying.
But
View attachment 1008273
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The Bottom one being prefered here then Scottish. The Union Jack is Red Tractor.... From anywhere
You never no... Well done on your Flag Knowledge.Errrrrrr No. - the UNION flag is all 3 nations
I didn't suggest this did I !
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I suspect the Union flag is the worlds most recognised logo ......... on the basis we used to own quite a lot of it !!
Here’s a thought.
I know that RT assurance has cost me quite a bit over the past 20+ years; directly in terms of the fees charged and indirectly in terms of levys on my produce and the extra office- time required to jump through the extra hoops that are presented.
What I have received in return for my money is unclear. As far as I remember the scheme was originally sold as a way to realise a premium for our produce. This rapidly seemed to morph into RT being a ‘gatekeeper’ organisation, whereby I have to be assured to send my grain to the local silo, and I have to be assured to send my cattle to the abattoir (they’re organic, so I can’t take them to the mart without losing the small but real premium on them).
Like everyone else who is farm assured, I’ve regularly had guff through the post extolling RTs brilliance and I strongly suspect it’s all a load of rubbish because I don’t believe it’s something that customers seek out therefore it adds no value.
Just wondering; could we commission a piece of independent research into what factors customers take into account when buying products in the supermarket? Thinking about, say, beef and lamb (my main areas), I strongly suspect that customers will buy mainly on factors such as price and maybe where the animals were produced and how long the meat has been aged. I suspect that virtually no-one goes into a shop looking for the red tractor symbol, or could take a stab at its meaning if asked.
It would be good to have something concrete to throw back at RT next time we’re told what a good job they’re doing on our behalf.
What do you think @Clive @Chris F ? Personally I’d be happy to sling a few tenners in a fund for such a piece of research, but personally I wouldn’t have a clue how to start organising it.
A Compromise on flags you mean?.... I could cope with that one. What about you @CliveA nice, simple, recognisable Union Jack on all food produced to UK legal standards, that doesn't contain ANY imported ingredients. Job done.
Of course, we will still be able to add value for well known better brands like Welsh lamb (& I suppose Scotch beef), with a Welsh flag on the packaging as well.
That’s my point. Anecdotally we all know this. It would be nice to have it independently confirmed. The question then would be “What have I paid all that money for??”Very few people know what RT is. At BBQ a few months ago I asked everybody (about 30) what RT was and only a couple knew and even they weren’t bothered.
All tractors matter ...What about blue tractor, are you being Fordist?
You never no... Well done on your Flag Knowledge.
You did say this "I strongly suspect that its the union flag part of the brand that is recognised, however" regarding red tractor
Cracking Idea to make a difference,... Use part of the same logo
Packer could choose to use either Union Flag or individual country flag.A nice, simple, recognisable Union Jack on all food produced to UK legal standards, that doesn't contain ANY imported ingredients. Job done.
Of course, we will still be able to add value for well known better brands like Welsh lamb (& I suppose Scotch beef), with a Welsh flag on the packaging as well.
A lot of the anti-red tractor noise on this forum is related solely to combinable crops (albeit not exclusively).
For those sectors one or two steps above in the ‘food chain’ producing meat and dairy etc I feel the red tractor provides a good, defendable platform to work from even if end users insist on their own to audits to ensure standards are met. That is not to say there is not room for improvement.
Without red tractor I would be very concerned about what might come in its place - for Instance our produce is on the shelves of probably 5 supermarkets and I would not want to be meeting the criteria of each of their own rules. This was one of the main rationales for red tractor in the first place and that has not gone away.
While change is often welcomed and reform probably needed, we should be careful not to shoot ourselves in the the foot.
Black fendts matter?All tractors matter ...