Farm Assurance - again

[Drillman]

Who designed the new logo ? where is the word British ? There are no end of products on Supermarket Shelves that use the words ' Produced in the UK' when the reality is the opposite. Where is the word Quality ? Why is the Union Jack half hidden.

Would have been much better if it had said. "British Quality Guaranteed" and a big Union Jack that the buyers could clearly see.

Good points. If this had been an episode of the apprentice, Alan Sugar would have torn them to shreds and been pointing his firing finger!

 

[anzani]

Who designed the new logo ? where is the word British ? There are no end of products on Supermarket Shelves that use the words ' Produced in the UK' when the reality is the opposite. Where is the word Quality ? Why is the Union Jack half hidden.

Would have been much better if it had said. "British Quality Guaranteed" and a big Union Jack that the buyers could clearly see.

Why dont Farm Assured farms advertise the fact on billboard size signs at their gateway entrance? , and at strategic points alongside trunk routes. If its your 'brand', why not use the cost that you incur to visibly promote that brand. Now is the time to grab more market share surely.

 

[DaveGrohl]

Who designed the new logo ? where is the word British ? There are no end of products on Supermarket Shelves that use the words ' Produced in the UK' when the reality is the opposite. Where is the word Quality ? Why is the Union Jack half hidden.

Would have been much better if it had said. "British Quality Guaranteed" and a big Union Jack that the buyers could clearly see.

I mean WTAF?!?

People ignored or didn't have a clue or care about the last logo so let's confuse them even more by having another logo that signifies even less than before.

What makes me so angry about this is that someone has actually been paid to come up with this utter idiocy. I say someone, there will have been a lot of people actively taking money from the pot.

 

[4course]

Why dont Farm Assured farms advertise the fact on billboard size signs at their gateway entrance? , and at strategic points alongside trunk routes. If its your 'brand', why not use the cost that you incur to visibly promote that brand. Now is the time to grab more market share surely.

because the council insists you remove them ,tried telling us we couldnt put a farm name sign up till we pointed out it was defra and gov policy

 

[JP1]

I mean WTAF?!?

People ignored didn't have a clue or care about the last logo so let's confuse them even more by having another logo that signifies even less than before.

What makes me so angry about this is that someone has actually been paid to come up with this utter idiocy. I say someone, there will have been a lot of people actively taking money from the pot.

I bet there'll be skip loads of old material binned by the Ident Police who always feed of these programmes

 

[anzani]

because the council insists you remove them ,tried telling us we couldnt put a farm name sign up till we pointed out it was defra and gov policy

Appreciate that there are issues of this kind, I 'm thinking more the rear or sides of grain trailers and livestock transporters, which also may be parked/secured in visible locations, so long as they remain movable.

 

[ajd132]

Has anyone found the red tractor accounts online? The ones I found were void company.
Would be very interesting.

 

[4course]

Appreciate that there are issues of this kind, I 'm thinking more the rear or sides of grain trailers and livestock transporters, which also may be parked/secured in visible locations, so long as they remain movable.

yes ,but there is also such a thing as goodwill (for want of a better phrase)should i park a sign written trailer in my field next time I apply for planning , nfc

 

[Chris F]

Who designed the new logo ? where is the word British ? There are no end of products on Supermarket Shelves that use the words ' Produced in the UK' when the reality is the opposite. Where is the word Quality ? Why is the Union Jack half hidden.

Would have been much better if it had said. "British Quality Guaranteed" and a big Union Jack that the buyers could clearly see.

“British” was dropped as part of it in 2005 wasn’t it?

 

[Chris F]

Has anyone found the red tractor accounts online? The ones I found were void company.
Would be very interesting.

Here you go https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/04913846

 

[Chris F]

I’d bet Minette is very glad to have passed this disaster over to Stuart.

 

[An Gof]

I’d bet Minette is very glad to have passed this disaster over to Stuart.

I very much doubt she was glad, took a lot of pressure to get her to give it up.
The NFU President sitting as a RT Director is a serious conflict of interest.

 

[Agrivator]

Why dont Farm Assured farms advertise the fact on billboard size signs at their gateway entrance? , and at strategic points alongside trunk routes. If its your 'brand', why not use the cost that you incur to visibly promote that brand. Now is the time to grab more market share surely.

Because the vast majority of farmers hate Farm Assurance. And just like shops in East London that paid protection money to mobsters didn't have a sign saying ''Kray-Twin Assured'', farmers don't want to admit that they too are the subjects of extortion.

 

[Chris F]

I very much doubt she was glad, took a lot of pressure to get her to give it up.
The NFU President sitting as a RT Director is a serious conflict of interest.

The NFU started Red Tractor. I don’t see the conflict? They are instrumental in it.

If it’s such a conflict why has Stuart succeeded her?

Honest questions as it doesn’t make sense.

 

[DanielBennett]

Jeeeeez. Whilst I totally believe British farming is the best in the world, British farmers are also pretty bloody good at moaning!

No other industry gives such low priority to a professional approach to sales and marketing. Sorry that's reality.

Every farm is a business in its own right and most would be classified as a small business. In other business sectors those running a small business would more than likely be giving a significant amount of their time to sales and marketing. It seems to me many farmers simply don't get that.

It seems reasonable that a number of farmers get together to colaborate on sales and marketing. They could build their own Brand! Brands can be very powerful done right. But if you think that's sh!t then you'll stay stuck where you are now with the likes of Red Tractor.

 

[kiwi pom]

Jeeeeez. Whilst I totally believe British farming is the best in the world, British farmers are also pretty bloody good at moaning!

No other industry gives such low priority to a professional approach to sales and marketing. Sorry that's reality.

Every farm is a business in its own right and most would be classified as a small business. In other business sectors those running a small business would more than likely be giving a significant amount of their time to sales and marketing. It seems to me many farmers simply don't get that.

It seems reasonable that a number of farmers get together to colaborate on sales and marketing. They could build their own Brand! Brands can be very powerful done right. But if you think that's sh!t then you'll stay stuck where you are now with the likes of Red Tractor.

Good post. There's always a lot of talk that its all the NFU, RT, the government, H&S, supermarkets and imports that are to blame for low prices but farmers are competing against each other and there's always someone that will sell it cheaper or do a side deal.
Remove all the rules and regulations and once the prices for everything settled the market would be just as competitive, there'd just be no one left to blame for it.

 

[An Gof]

The President of the NFU is the ultimate point of representation for members views and concerns.
If the membership have an issue with RT that they wish the President to pursue then that cannot happen if the President is on the main Board of RT.
As a Board Member of RT, the Presient, once outside the RT Boardroom will be expected to promote and stand behind all RT decisions. That is where the conflict lies as it may be at odds with a position the NFU wishes to take.

Having Stuart as DP take that position means that at least the NFU are "at the table" BUT as the President trumps the DP it is possible for the NFU to hold a different view on items/issues and to promote and challenge them accordingly.

 

[Chris F]

The President of the NFU is the ultimate point of representation for members views and concerns.
If the membership have an issue with RT that they wish the President to pursue then that cannot happen if the President is on the main Board of RT.
As a Board Member of RT, the Presient, once outside the RT Boardroom will be expected to promote and stand behind all RT decisions. That is where the conflict lies as it may be at odds with a position the NFU wishes to take.

Having Stuart as DP take that position means that at least the NFU are "at the table" BUT as the President trumps the DP it is possible for the NFU to hold a different view on items/issues and to promote and challenge them accordingly.

That makes sense, but the NFU President as historically been on the board of Red Tractor for quite a while. Peter Kendall, Meurig Raymond and then Minette. Does this mean there is going to be a change to tack from the NFU with regards to Red Tractor? I know its a form of embarrassment for them, as I've heard it said. Surely the best way to change it, is from the inside (not sure where I have heard that before).

So Minette stepping down is a protest to the failure of Red Tractor and so she can be more critical of them?

 

[Henarar]

The President of the NFU is the ultimate point of representation for members views and concerns.
If the membership have an issue with RT that they wish the President to pursue then that cannot happen if the President is on the main Board of RT.
As a Board Member of RT, the Presient, once outside the RT Boardroom will be expected to promote and stand behind all RT decisions. That is where the conflict lies as it may be at odds with a position the NFU wishes to take.

Having Stuart as DP take that position means that at least the NFU are "at the table" BUT as the President trumps the DP it is possible for the NFU to hold a different view on items/issues and to promote and challenge them accordingly.

I wonder what Stuart's ideas are for RT ? as he will defiantly be able to tell RT what to do now

 

[thesilentone]

Jeeeeez. Whilst I totally believe British farming is the best in the world, British farmers are also pretty bloody good at moaning!

No other industry gives such low priority to a professional approach to sales and marketing. Sorry that's reality.

Every farm is a business in its own right and most would be classified as a small business. In other business sectors those running a small business would more than likely be giving a significant amount of their time to sales and marketing. It seems to me many farmers simply don't get that.

It seems reasonable that a number of farmers get together to colaborate on sales and marketing. They could build their own Brand! Brands can be very powerful done right. But if you think that's sh!t then you'll stay stuck where you are now with the likes of Red Tractor.

British Farmers, the best in the World ? Some are, some are pretty average and some are downright useless. However, that is no different to any other business sector, what is unique about farming is, we carry dead wood.

There is no doubt the core of our industry is falling way behind our foreign competitors, especially around the use of technology, we are to old, and to unwilling to let the next generation take the reigns. We have shied away from education and standards, the environment and welfare.

For this you can blame the system, it has always been divide and conquer. Farmers together have power, farmers divided are irrelevant. So, why not get together ? because the group would be as stated above, the good the bad and the ugly, the big and the small and wealthy and not so, and that just won't do, will it ?

The Red Tractor is to keep Supermarket buyers happy, as a ' Brand ' this is it's only relevance. Why don't we promote it Nationally, because that is not the agenda. Do you really think the Supermarkets want the housewife to flock and buy Red Tractor product, I think not.

To promote a brand today could not be easier, with all the media possibilities, it would not take a massive budget or some high flying PR guru. Social media, signage and a joined up message is all that is needed. Will it happen ? unlikely, why ? because that is not the agenda........

Our future is together (it's been said for years) promoting local produce and branding, so get you're sons and daughters motivated to get out and find a way, start small and crack on. At the moment we are withering on the Vine.