Farm Assurance - Poll

[Henarar]

here you are , have some of mine....................

you will hurt yourself

 

[Bury the Trash]

you will hurt yourself

 

[Dave645]

I think what cuts deepest about Farm assurance, is the fact that imported food sits right next to the Farm assured food we produce on the supermarket shelves, they say the consumer wants to see these things in place yet most just buy on price so the winners are just as often the imported food producers.

Unless the farm assurance rules are mandatory for all food sold in say supermarkets it has little value and helps only farm animals in the UK.

So when they decide to make these so called important management systems mandatory for food reaching supermarket shelves, for all the supermarkets suppliers, when that happens we farmers will embrace the scheme hole heartedly.
As the above is never going to happen as supermarkets like to offer "value" food as well as premium. When you look at a packet of bacon can you tell how the animal was looked after? And that's the consumers dilemma, it looks the same so why the diffrence in price. It's up to the supermarkets and packaging to inform the consumers of the differences if any. And it's upto them to enforce the ethical standards it wants from farm assurance, to all it's suppliers. If they are not going to point out the differences.

 

[beefandsleep]

I think what cuts deepest about Farm assurance, is the fact that imported food sits right next to the Farm assured food we produce on the supermarket shelves, they say the consumer wants to see these things in place yet most just buy on price so the winners are just as often the imported food producers.

Unless the farm assurance rules are mandatory for all food sold in say supermarkets it has little value and helps only farm animals in the UK.

So when they decide to make these so called important management systems mandatory for food reaching supermarket shelves, for all the supermarkets suppliers, when that happens we farmers will embrace the scheme hole heartedly.
As the above is never going to happen as supermarkets like to offer "value" food as well as premium. When you look at a packet of bacon can you tell how the animal was looked after? And that's the consumers dilemma, it looks the same so why the diffrence in price. It's up to the supermarkets and packaging to inform the consumers of the differences if any. And it's upto them to enforce the ethical standards it wants from farm assurance, to all it's suppliers. If they are not going to point out the differences.

VERY well said. If these standards and inspections are so important then why aren't they being applied to every single item the supermarkets sell?

 

[matthew]

VERY well said. If these standards and inspections are so important then why aren't they being applied to every single item the supermarkets sell?

Agreed. I'm sad to say, I got caught out with Gressingham duck.
Packaging plastered with Red Tractor and British, a familiar name: but alongside fresh duck breasts and legs in the chiller, sits their duck in plum sauce and other Asian stuff. Same packaging. Same company. But the duck and its preparation is THAILAND.

We are being used to 'assure' everything on the shelf, by association.

 

[Steevo]

Agreed. I'm sad to say, I got caught out with Gressingham duck.
Packaging plastered with Red Tractor and British, a familiar name: but alongside fresh duck breasts and legs in the chiller, sits their duck in plum sauce and other Asian stuff. Same packaging. Same company. But the duck and its preparation is THAILAND.

We are being used to 'assure' everything on the shelf, by association.

Well spotted. Not many would have noticed that. I assume the UK stuff is RT and the Thailand isn't?! That's almost worth questioning with them as to why some is RT and other not.

 

[matthew]

Well spotted. Not many would have noticed that. I assume the UK stuff is RT and the Thailand isn't?! That's almost worth questioning with them as to why some is RT and other not.

No RT, but the packs were in the same chiller as the RT packs.
I did make enquiries and all Gressingham pre cooked bits in plum sauce are from Thailand. Fresh and RT from UK, and 'our Norfolk farms' in very small print.

 

[Grass And Grain]

Thought I'd take a look at this poll, seen as though there's another Farm Assurance thread running at the moment.

Seems as though 90% of farmers would prefer to not bother with RT. That's quite a majority.

To be fair, this poll should maybe have the option of 'keep RT, but reform it.'

 

[Greythundercloudys]

I think it's a waste of time, having some old guy telling you what your doing wrong every June, l was in it for 15 years and gave it up and l get every bit as good a trade as any body at the market, no difference what so ever. And no worry about what lv done or not done when he shows up. If farm assured stock was making loads more l would see the point, but in my case no difference at all.

 

[Henarar]

To be fair, this poll should maybe have the option of 'keep RT, but reform it.'

That's a bit like those that wanted to stay in the EU and reform it
won't bloody happen

 

[Grass And Grain]

Suppose you're maybe right. Only way it might change would be if people voted with their feet.

 

[MrNoo]

So what prices are non assured arable boys getting for their crops then? Just curious to know, I was told £5/t knock for being non assured but I guess it depends how badly they want it and what grade etc, milling malting feed etc. I am sick of it and would gladly leave.

 

[spin cycle]

So what prices are non assured arable boys getting for their crops then? Just curious to know, I was told £5/t knock for being non assured but I guess it depends how badly they want it and what grade etc, milling malting feed etc. I am sick of it and would gladly leave.

if it were just a fiver a lot wouldn't bother.....but it's a closed shop to try and sell cereals at all

 

[Werzle]

The worst part is we farmers are certain that when there is plenty of corn/beef etc about, the price of non assured is rubbish, but when this same produce is short ,its being mixed to save paying the assured produce premium.

 

[Wooly]

Supply and demand is the key to end this. As farmers we are stupid to produce too much food and need to keep it under the 100% threshold.

If you are hungry do you give an arse if the food is farm assured ? Do you heck

 

[jerseycowsman]

Suppose you're maybe right. Only way it might change would be if people voted with their feet.

I don't see any option for dairy farmers, if we want our milk picked up we have to be bloody farm assured