Guy Smith's response to FW article on AIC rules.

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
@Woldgrain Storage just to be clear...

Imports get "assured" by the shipper either sampling and pesticide testing the cargo (not on a lorry load basis), or by a pesticide declaration saying only grown with EU approved pesticides.

AIC only allow this with imports.

AIC currently say UK grain needs to be RT to be assured in their eyes.

So, if AIC can be convinced to let UK farmers have same assurance rules as they do for imports, then UK growers wouldn't need RT, and then a central store has the scale and is perfecrly placed to do the pesticide testing method for its storage customers. Then your customer can bin off RT, saving them money, and making them a very happy central storage customer.

This requires AIC to change their rules. So maybe a central storage company would see some value in lobbying AIC, to ask them if the central store can assure its grain in exactly the same manner as allowed for imports, if not why not?

Does that make sense?

if AIC blocked grain tested and declared etc to same standard as imports they would definitely have a legal case to answer

its less of a case of asking / lobbying and more a case of telling them !
 

Grass And Grain

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Yorks
if AIC blocked grain tested and declared etc to same standard as imports they would definitely have a legal case to answer

its less of a case of asking / lobbying and more a case of telling them !
Maybe when more time in late October we tell them that's what we're going to do. Follow the protocols, and say we want it accepted as assured. Would really need some non-RT grain to do it.
 
if AIC blocked grain tested and declared etc to same standard as imports they would definitely have a legal case to answer

its less of a case of asking / lobbying and more a case of telling them !

I reckon they are on very shaky ground legally. I also wonder how many of their members will want to fund a legal case against their farmer traders? You would like to think they would need us to supply them.

When we get the principals ironed, we have to go to court. With the UK Internal Market Bill I cannot see how the AIC can force its members to block market access to home grown produce
 
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texelburger

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Herefordshire
Well Minette I've looked for the RT logo so that I can buy British food produced to a high standard.I can find,in our shopping trolley, plenty of lovely British foods that are produced to high standards but I can't find the RT logo.Sainsburys beef and lamb being one example.So is Minette saying this fantastic British food is substandard because it doesn't have the RT logo.
 

spin cycle

Member
Location
north norfolk
Well Minette I've looked for the RT logo so that I can buy British food produced to a high standard.I can find,in our shopping trolley, plenty of lovely British foods that are produced to high standards but I can't find the RT logo.Sainsburys beef and lamb being one example.So is Minette saying this fantastic British food is substandard because it doesn't have the RT logo.
sainsburys havn't used the rt logo for years....in other supermarkets you'll often see a union jack then the rt logo tucked away elsewhere
 

farmerm

Member
Location
Shropshire
To be fair to Guy, part of our fight here should really be with AIC not RT, it is AIC who have created this two tier system that treats domestic growers with contempt and mistrust whilst waving in any and all imports at the stroke of a pen. RT just milk it for all they can but are to blame for imposing additional burdens on producers that go far beyond UK law. Basically it all comes down to the fact that the entire assurance industry is one big cartel. If domestic grains where allowed through the same joke standards that apply to goods coming in though the FEMAS gateway scheme RT and the other farm assurance bodies would be mortally wounded.

The situation is now such that the gateway scheme does very much undermine the principle of source assurance given how far they are from where RT farm standards now are! (see FEMAS note below)

What is AIC valued at? If we all put our RT subs for one year in a pot could we not buy out a controlling share, unlock the FEMAS gateway to domestic traders and end this two tier bulls**t





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Grass And Grain

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Yorks
To be fair to Guy, part of our fight here should really be with AIC not RT, it is AIC who have created this two tier system that treats domestic growers with contempt and mistrust whilst waving in any and all imports at the stroke of a pen. RT just milk it for all they can but are to blame for imposing additional burdens on producers that go far beyond UK law. Basically it all comes down to the fact that the entire assurance industry is one big cartel. If domestic grains where allowed through the same joke standards that apply to goods coming in though the FEMAS gateway scheme RT and the other farm assurance bodies would be mortally wounded.

The situation is now such that the gateway scheme does very much undermine the principle of source assurance given how far they are from where RT farm standards now are! (see FEMAS note below)

What is AIC valued at? If we all put our RT subs for one year in a pot could we not buy out a controlling share, unlock the FEMAS gateway to domestic traders and end this two tier bullsh*t





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Yes, it's AIC who have the two tier system.

We need to somehow get it changed. It simply isn't fair. Their rules are extremely complex. How do FEMAS rules fit in with UFAS rules?

It's really awful when AIC continually have different rules for different countries.

The rules apply to each and every country in the world, except the UK. We have to be RT.

If the imported food is safe, then no reason why UK grain can't be assures in same way.
 

YorkshireTom25

Member
Arable Farmer
Yes, it's AIC who have the two tier system.

We need to somehow get it changed. It simply isn't fair. Their rules are extremely complex. How do FEMAS rules fit in with UFAS rules?

It's really awful when AIC continually have different rules for different countries.

The rules apply to each and every country in the world, except the UK. We have to be RT.

If the imported food is safe, then no reason why UK grain can't be assures in same way.
Well said! This needs pushing more and to be heard.
 

Grass And Grain

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Yorks
Well said! This needs pushing more and to be heard.
It's so serious and fundamental for UK ag, that I think if AIC won't change their rules, NFU/AHDB should explore a rival feed mill assurance scheme, then blow AIC out of the market.

We simply cannot have a situation whereby it's relatively easier for imports to access our markets than it is for ourselves.

It's absolutely crazy. What's worse, NFU and AHDB are company guarantors to RT and support RT, so NFU/AHDB are complicit in creating this situation.
 

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