Red Tractor Enviromental Module

[ajd132]

Green Farm Commitment. The scheme which obliges you to commit to environmental works or or obligations as a condition of sale of your product. For free.

I am so inexplicably angry.

 

[SilliamWhale]

I am so inexplicably angry.

It's quite explicable!

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

I am so inexplicably angry.

Don't think inexplicably. Indescribably maybe.

I'm definitely not doing this. I will put the whole lot into a scheme instead.

 

[texelburger]

Green Farm Commitment. The scheme which obliges you to commit to environmental works or or obligations as a condition of sale of your product. For free, at the retailer's behest....

Thanks

 

[Old apprentice]

Green Farm Commitment. The scheme which obliges you to commit to environmental works or or obligations as a condition of sale of your product. For free, at the retailer's behest....

It's like blackmail.

 

[DaveGrohl]

I was told yesterday that the proposed RT Green Module insists that 5% of your farm must be taken out of production. 5 acres for every 100 acres you farm! Who is paying the rent/borrowings on these 5 acres in every 100?

WTAF??

 

[ollie989898]

There is this meeting on the 2nd November at which Kit Papworth will be attempting to justify their latest land grab.
View attachment 1141627

'Nutrient management plan into core standards'... Greener farm commitment...

Jebus. That is all I will say.

 

[DaveGrohl]

It's like blackmail.

Like?

 

[Old apprentice]

Like?

It is

 

[Cuckoo's nest]

There is a total lack of proper Governance in Red Tractor and they need to be pulled up on it .

 

[Grass And Grain]

Interesting.

From the meeting agenda uploaded earlier up this page, "lower entry feed standard"

 

[Grass And Grain]

Interesting.

From the meeting agenda uploaded earlier up this page, "lower entry feed standard"

View attachment 1141676

Also "nutrient management plan into core standards".

Wondered how long it would be before SFI and RT got intertwined. No-one joining SFI? Well you might as well join SFI now, because the NMP is going to be a requirement of RT (that's convenient for DEFRA).

Well blow me down with a feather. Who'd have thought it. Must be a coincidence.

 

[gone up the hill]

Also "nutrient management plan into core standards".

Wondered how long it would be before SFI and RT got intertwined. No-one joining SFI? Well you might as well join SFI now, because the NMP is going to be a requirement of RT (that's convenient for DEFRA).

Well blow me down with a feather. Who'd have thought it. Must be a coincidence.

All that will happen if they try to force NMP into the standards is that more farmers will just quit the scheme.

Costs to be RT assured are just getting out of control and unsustainable both from a money and time point of view for many farmers and things like forcing you to take 5% of your land out of production/ doing a NMP plan etc will be the final straw for many current RT members!

 

[gone up the hill]

He actually said "NFU have not been involved with the development of the bolt on module". But he would have been if he is sitting on the board, is this without an NFU hat on working for Red Tractor instead?!

Regardless he will have known about the bolt on module and presumably was part of the board that sanctioned the bolt on module and I quote from BRC website:

The Red Tractor GFC module was considered by the AFS Board on 29th September. Firstly thank you to the BRC and those members who supplied individual supporting statements. This emphasised the full extent of the customer support for the module, and helped the Board recognise the market demand for the GFC, and the benefits that it brings as a common industry approach. There was a detailed discussion where the opinions of all stakeholders were clearly considered. All supported the final decision and the next steps as follows:

1. Agreed to make the GFC module available across all sectors from 1 April 2024;
2. Agreed the establishment of a Development Advisory Panel (DAP) which will advise on the immediate and future technical development of the GFC;

So we have an extraordinary situation where the NFU DP has sanctioned a BRC devised module but not in an NFU capacity apparently. This bolt on module has also been sanctioned by other farmers on the Assured Food Standards Board eg Alistair Mackintosh former NFU Livestock Board Chair (Blenky's heir - remember him?) and Kit Papworth (former NFU sugar representative and convicted burglar) but they have not sanctioned the module in an NFU capacity (remember "nfu not involved" apparently so it must be a Red Tractor/ personal one? Also the CEO of the AHDB Tim Rycroft also ushered this module through too.

Its not good is it? If I was a hard workingand dutiful NFU member I'd be absolutely bouncing about this level of disloyalty being shown, not least what they have handed to the BRC and RT. Its insanse. You should call for an EGM, this is so so wrong

Each co-owner of the RT company has a place on the board, each co-owner puts forward someone to sit on the board to represent their intrests as a co-owner!

So for example the NFU bloke aka Tom somebody sits on the board representing the NFU, to claim anything else is a complete nonsense and just deflection tactics.

 

[Jackov Altraids]

Also "nutrient management plan into core standards".

Wondered how long it would be before SFI and RT got intertwined. No-one joining SFI? Well you might as well join SFI now, because the NMP is going to be a requirement of RT (that's convenient for DEFRA).

Well blow me down with a feather. Who'd have thought it. Must be a coincidence.

 

[Jackov Altraids]

It was my understanding, that Defra somewhat led the NFU to set up RT in order to 'professionalise' UK agriculture.
To be fair, it was probably needed and worked.
I think it was @Clive who recounted a top table person at the NFU saying that there was nothing wrong with RT, but it had been 'mis sold' as a premium scheme which I thought backed this up.
The NFU subsequently took their eye of the ball and when RT was about to fail, the cartel offered support in return for control.
The rest as they say, is history.
Or at least I wished it was.

But with the removal of BPS, Defra have re-ignited their interest in RT by offering it Urea exclusivity and hinted it may have roles to play in SFI.

 

[Grass And Grain]

Interesting.

From the meeting agenda uploaded earlier up this page, "lower entry feed standard"

View attachment 1141676

View attachment 1141678

RT's very convenient for DEFRA/EA/NE/Food Hygiene.

Less DEFRA inspectors on the payroll, whilst farmers self fund their own inspections.

Now looks to me like Janet Hughes is using RT to help hit her 70% SFI uptake target. Farmer thinks "I've got to do NMP for RT, so might as well join SFI.

 

[Jackov Altraids]

RT's very convenient for DEFRA/EA/NE/Food Hygiene.

Less DEFRA inspectors on the payroll, whilst farmers self fund their own inspections.

Now looks to me like Janet Hughes is using RT to help hit her 70% SFI uptake target. Farmer thinks "I've got to do NMP for RT, so might as well join SFI.

If a landowner doesn't sign up to BPS or SFI, they are quite restricted legally in compelling them to allow themselves to be inspected.
I think they see RT, as effectively being a licence to farm, and giving them free access in terms of inspections.

 

[Grass And Grain]

It was my understanding, that Defra somewhat led the NFU to set up RT in order to 'professionalise' UK agriculture.
To be fair, it was probably needed and worked.
I think it was @Clive who recounted a top table person at the NFU saying that there was nothing wrong with RT, but it had been 'mis sold' as a premium scheme which I thought backed this up.
The NFU subsequently took their eye of the ball and when RT was about to fail, the cartel offered support in return for control.
The rest as they say, is history.
Or at least I wished it was.

But with the removal of BPS, Defra have re-ignited their interest in RT by offering it Urea exclusivity and hinted it may have roles to play in SFI.

This is not a genuine food/farm assurance scheme operating in a genuine open and competitive marketplace imho. It's all decided for us behind closed doors.

The more DEFRA ensure RT is doing their police work for them (urea, NMP, NVZ's, food hygiene regs, silage and fuel oil regs, etc.), the more it makes me think it's no coincidence retailers, mills, etc demand RT.

Take this new RT greening module. Why is it BRC haven't just said "here's a new greening module we want all suppliers and assurance schemes to work to". Instead, they're specifically working it through RT, because imho they want to see no other assurance choice for farmers.

 

[Grass And Grain]

If a landowner doesn't sign up to BPS or SFI, they are quite restricted legally in compelling them to allow themselves to be inspected.
I think they see RT, as effectively being a licence to farm, and giving them free access in terms of inspections.

One thing I would say about RT inspectors I've had, they've been polite, in a sense they've sort of enquired to see records etc, as though it's voluntary. They've sort of respected me, and me providing them with sight of my documents.

Contrast that to a recent local authority inspection I had, and don't get me wrong the chap was really nice, but I did really feel like they had power and could exercise it, and I didn't have any choice but to help them with their inspection. I suppose that's how it should be though.

What I did like about local authority inspection, is they checked to see if I was complying with food safety and the law. They didn't want to check my urea spreading dates, or what time I'd filled the rat bait feeders, or what made up time I'd written down for cleaning the telehandler bucket. He did, however, look to see if the grain store and handling equipment was clean.

Inspector spent A LOT more time actually looking outside at the farm. What was happening on the ground, and less concerned that I'd written everything down. It was much more sensible and practical. It knocked the socks off the usefulness (or not) of a RT audit.