Imported grain higher standard than UK

redbaron

Member
Arable Farmer
Received the following from a senior member within the grain trade today:

"....a cargo of imported grain arriving in this country has more tests done on it, in a methodical and recorded way, than the equivalent domestic tonnes arriving by lorry from UK farmers to the same destination"

Really??? If so, RT had better up their game!
 

thorpe

Member
what a load of total bullocks i know of a shipment of australian organic wheat that walked out of the shipping containers and no regections at the mill. bought it up with nfu and never heard another thing.
 

tullah

Member
Location
Linconshire
I don't mind how many tests are done on my grain. It's the shear cheek of forcing us to keep the paper trail of how many insects and mouse crap etc. There's no other reason for it than to be a well paid jobsworth.
Farmers and jobsworths don't mix well together and the falling out is not very far off.
 

Grass And Grain

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Yorks
Received the following from a senior member within the grain trade today:

"....a cargo of imported grain arriving in this country has more tests done on it, in a methodical and recorded way, than the equivalent domestic tonnes arriving by lorry from UK farmers to the same destination"

Really??? If so, RT had better up their game!
Reply to him/her and say "that's great, pleased you're happy with that method of bringing grain into the assured food chain". Then ask him if you can send some of your grain to him using the exact same methodology and tests (rather than you being RT assured). If he says "no", ask him why not, and if he avoids the question then keep pressing him for an answer. Tell him you're waiting for a logical and reasonable answer.
 

Grass And Grain

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Yorks
Think he’ll be waiting a while..
Think you're right.

The grain trade, end users, AIC, RT or NFU have yet to give us a satisfactory answer. They can't, they haven't got a leg to stand on.

Why aren't NFU having a public row with AIC over this? Poor imho.

We're the only people who have been prepared to out this issue in public. All bodies involved seem to want to talk about it behind closed doors. What they scared of? Looking untenable I guess.
 

Grass And Grain

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Yorks
I suspect that if no solution is forthcoming, then the public outcry from farmers will get more heated. Currently we're sort of giving them time and an opportunity to sort it out, but if there's no solution then I imagine it'll be a PR disaster for these people. Us farmers are going to hold the to account.

If NFU lose members, then so be it. If AHDB Cereals and Oilseeds cease to exist, then so be it. Would be a shame, but market access barriers for UK farmers to UK markets is fundamental. It's got to be as close to a level playingfield as is practically possible vs imports.
 

kiwi pom

Member
Location
canterbury NZ
Ask him if he can trace back when each contributing farmer last washed their grain bucket out. When he says no, ask him which scheme he hold the highest regard for and tell him to put his answer on record and make it public.

If you're going to go after other countries do it on the big things like spray operator qualifications, banned chemicals, sprayer MOT's, GM etc. Apart from that standards and quality are much the same, the main difference being a bit of paper and a tidy up the day before inspection.
A lot of countries wouldn't know what a grain bucket was as all their grain is augured in and out of sealed stores.
 

Flat 10

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Fen Edge
Received the following from a senior member within the grain trade today:

"....a cargo of imported grain arriving in this country has more tests done on it, in a methodical and recorded way, than the equivalent domestic tonnes arriving by lorry from UK farmers to the same destination"

Really??? If so, RT had better up their game!
I struggle to believe this. I can’t work out what or how this would work. More tests as in more sorts of tests or physically more tests? Likely the former as what would be the point in doing something (that must be cheap and easy and quick) every 20t? More likely there was a random sample tested for heavy metals or something. Also I’ve always wondered how clean boats are between loads. I have absolutely no idea but I simply can’t imagine it’s as clean as the inside of a grain trailer or alloy bulker. If they are show me a photo…..
 

Sharpy

Member
Livestock Farmer
Received the following from a senior member within the grain trade today:

"....a cargo of imported grain arriving in this country has more tests done on it, in a methodical and recorded way, than the equivalent domestic tonnes arriving by lorry from UK farmers to the same destination"

Really??? If so, RT had better up their game!
Doesn't mean it passes the tests......
 

Flat 10

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Fen Edge
If you're going to go after other countries do it on the big things like spray operator qualifications, banned chemicals, sprayer MOT's, GM etc. Apart from that standards and quality are much the same, the main difference being a bit of paper and a tidy up the day before inspection.
A lot of countries wouldn't know what a grain bucket was as all their grain is augured in and out of sealed stores.
The man was being sarcastic…..
 

Sid

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
South Molton
Received the following from a senior member within the grain trade today:

"....a cargo of imported grain arriving in this country has more tests done on it, in a methodical and recorded way, than the equivalent domestic tonnes arriving by lorry from UK farmers to the same destination"

Really??? If so, RT had better up their game!
How can you test grain to tell if the trailers are numbered?
How can you test grain to tell if the moisture meter had been tested?
How can you test grain to tell if the sprayer has been MOT'd or the operator had passed his test?
 

Flat 10

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Fen Edge
I struggle to believe this. I can’t work out what or how this would work. More tests as in more sorts of tests or physically more tests? Likely the former as what would be the point in doing something (that must be cheap and easy and quick) every 20t? More likely there was a random sample tested for heavy metals or something. Also I’ve always wondered how clean boats are between loads. I have absolutely no idea but I simply can’t imagine it’s as clean as the inside of a grain trailer or alloy bulker. If they are show me a photo…..
I’ve done some googling and I admit to being impressed as to how thoroughly a bulk cargo ship can be cleaned and if that’s how it’s done each time then it’s not at all bad. 2 points however, no mention of how the cleanings were disposed of ( coal dust, grain sweepings etc) but I think simply pumped over the side in seawater (would RT allow that?! ) and secondly when they are unloading and have the massive deck covers off ample time for seagulls etc to crap in it and you bet they don’t stop unloading if it’s raining or snowing…
 

Austin7

Member
We are missing the point. If one cargo can come in fully certified then all cargos should also come in certified. Ministers repeatedly state. “we will maintain our high environmental protection, animal welfare and food safety standards in all trade negotiations”. This is no concession to farmers, it is an ever-tightening noose around our necks if there is no requirement for others to follow. The Government rejected the Lords Amendment seeking fair farming trade. The Minister, who should know better, stated at the dispatch box that it would require hedgerow management in Africa. Another Tory MP, (why are so many cognitively challenged), suggested that it would require UK civil servants to drive round the colonies in Union Jack adorned Morris Minors checking crops. In fact, all that would be required is that Australian imports were all certified under the ASP (Australian Sustainable Products) scheme. https://aspcertified.com.au At the moment RT is a noose, it could become a shield, are we fighting on the wrong battlefield?

2021_06_20_12_15_55.pdf000.jpg
 

tullah

Member
Location
Linconshire
I struggle to believe this. I can’t work out what or how this would work. More tests as in more sorts of tests or physically more tests? Likely the former as what would be the point in doing something (that must be cheap and easy and quick) every 20t? More likely there was a random sample tested for heavy metals or something. Also I’ve always wondered how clean boats are between loads. I have absolutely no idea but I simply can’t imagine it’s as clean as the inside of a grain trailer or alloy bulker. If they are show me a photo…..
Yes take a swab from the bottom of the hold. The result doesn't bear thinking about.
So much for assured imports.
 

Wombat

Member
BASIS
Location
East yorks
Made me laugh when Mike Mitchell was taping up grain bags on YouTube and he said with the raccoons if you are unlucky they cut a hole then take a sh!t in the bag rather than just on the outside 🤣🤣
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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