Red Tractor Fight, Campaign Resources

[Grass And Grain]

Everyone, we're making real progress here.

Many of you have been writing letters to all the quangos. Let's step this up a bit, and make use of these letters/emails.

This purpose of this thread is simply to upload any letters you've written, so that everyone else can simply copy and paste into an email to send off.

You may also like to suggest some email addresses to send the emails to (if they are in the public domain).

Please refrain from commenting on this thread, otherwise we'll get bogged down in discussion, and the thread will lose its usefulness. Feel free to like the posts, and subscribe to the thread.

There's lots of PM's going on at TFF behind the scenes, and there's currently complete pandemonium in the farm assurance industry!

YOU can make a difference, by simply using copy and paste.

Steve

PS. Imagine you didn't notice, but was my debut video appearance

 

[Grass And Grain]

I'll start. Please send this to members of staff at the AIC, and say that you would like to add your support to the issue. Feel free to also email it to RT, AHDB, NFU etc.

All the AIC email addresses are on this page...

Contacts

web.archive.org

This email has gone to Simon Williams AIC Technical Manageer for FEMAS, FIAS and UFAS assurance schemes. Mr Williams has acknowledged the email and says AIC will consider its contents and respond in due course.


Dear Mr Williams,

I am writing on behalf of a group of UK cereal farmers.

We have been studdying the AIC standards for the supply of combinable crops to the AIC accredited mills, and the associated document - Feed/Food Suplier Schemes Recognised By AIC.

I refer you to the standards on page three of the document.

https://www.agindustries.org.uk/resource/feed-food-schemes.html


In this publication, AIC make a distinct differentiation in permissible standards for UK/Eire produced whole combinable crops in comparison to the imported grains from non-UK/Eire supplies.

The AIC requirement for the imported whole combinable crops can be met by a simple declaration from the supplier. These are the AIC requirements in that respect...



*An alternative acceptable approach for ensuring the safety and legality of non-UK/ Eire combinable
crops is outlined below:

The combinable crop must be supplied by a member of an assurance scheme recognized by AIC and
listed in Approved Suppliers above, and the mill must obtain specific evidence from the supplier relating to each purchase regarding all of the following:

a) All pesticides used pre and post-harvest are approved for use in the EU and;

b) All pesticides used pre and post-harvest have been applied both singly and cumulatively at levels approved for use in the EU; and

c) All storage used (beginning at the point of first collection or storage) meets the standards required by the AIC TASCC Stores Scheme relating to hygiene and cleaning, pest control and prevention of contamination


The AIC requirements for UK/Eire whole combinable crops are distinctly different, in that the requirement is for the UK grower to be in a recognised assurance scheme at the farm level.

These differing standards create increased compliance costs for UK/Eire growers, we judge this discrimination should be changed, and we believe the UK food/feed assurance industry should not create circumstances by which it specifically impedes the competitiveness of its UK farmers.

We are requesting that you change the AIC standards, so the UK/Eire grower has equivalent standards requirements to the current non-UK combinables standards, with an additional change to the wording to also facilitate direct supply from the grower to the mill (rather than through a merchant).

I hope you understand our concerns about the current differentiation and discrimination in the AIC stadards requirements, and I hope that AIC can look constructively at our request and work to find a solution.

We would be grateful if you would consult with us on this matter and keep us updated as to your thoughts and progress. We are working to a tight timescale, and hope that by the 16th of February 2021, it will have been possible to make this simple amendment to the AIC standards and to have informed your scheme members of any changes, so that farmers and businesses can make preparations for March contracts. We imagine you would be in the process of making changes to this document in any case, as presumably you would be possibly replacing any use of the word 'EU' with the word 'UK'.

We intend to propose a change to the current format of the Combinable Crops Passport, creating a tick box for the farmer to declare 'Produced to UK standards', which should satisfy your members in the milling and processing industries that the crop has been produced to standards that are at least the equivalence of the imported combinables (for which use is currently permitted by the AIC).

I hope AIC agree that this move will be a step forward in creating equivalence in standards for UK/Eire farmers, and will increase competitiveness for our home producers.

I look forward to hearing from you on this matter, would be appreciative of an initial acknowledgement of this email, and then to be kept regularly updated as to your progress. If we can provide any constructive help in consulting and discussing any proposals you may have for bringing equivalence to the wording of the standards, we would be very pleased to be involved. In any case we would wish to agree the new wording before it is introduced.

We look forward to working with you and to be able to help improve the AIC standards, so that all producers from all nationalities are working to the same standard.

 

[snipe]

I used the above letter as a background for a letter I sent the my local NFU advisor and chairman

Good morning. A group of farmers and myself are becoming increasingly concerned regarding the differentiation in permissible standards for UK/Eire produced whole combinable crops in comparison to imported grains. A letter has been sent to the AIC(Agricultural industries confederation), a copy of which you can read below. Would you be able to forward this letter onto relevant people in the NFU and
I would like to ask you to support this letter and resend it with the backing of the NFU to the AIC.


"Dear Mr Williams,

I am writing on behalf of a group of UK cereal farmers.

We have been studdying the AIC standards for the supply of combinable crops to the AIC accredited mills, and the associated document - Feed/Food Suplier Schemes Recognised By AIC.

I refer you to the standards on page three of the document.

https://www.agindustries.org.uk/resource/feed-food-schemes.html


In this publication, AIC make a distinct differentiation in permissible standards for UK/Eire produced whole combinable crops in comparison to the imported grains from non-UK/Eire supplies.

The AIC requirement for the imported whole combinable crops can be met by a simple declaration from the supplier. These are the AIC requirements in that respect...



*An alternative acceptable approach for ensuring the safety and legality of non-UK/ Eire combinable
crops is outlined below:

The combinable crop must be supplied by a member of an assurance scheme recognized by AIC and
listed in Approved Suppliers above, and the mill must obtain specific evidence from the supplier relating to each purchase regarding all of the following:

a) All pesticides used pre and post-harvest are approved for use in the EU and;

b) All pesticides used pre and post-harvest have been applied both singly and cumulatively at levels approved for use in the EU; and

c) All storage used (beginning at the point of first collection or storage) meets the standards required by the AIC TASCC Stores Scheme relating to hygiene and cleaning, pest control and prevention of contamination


The AIC requirements for UK/Eire whole combinable crops are distinctly different, in that the requirement is for the UK grower to be in a recognised assurance scheme at the farm level.

These differing standards create increased compliance costs for UK/Eire growers, we judge this discrimination should be changed, and we believe the UK food/feed assurance industry should not create circumstances by which it specifically impedes the competitiveness of its UK farmers.

We are requesting that you change the AIC standards, so the UK/Eire grower has equivalent standards requirements to the current non-UK combinables standards, with an additional change to the wording to also facilitate direct supply from the grower to the mill (rather than through a merchant).

I hope you understand our concerns about the current differentiation and discrimination in the AIC stadards requirements, and I hope that AIC can look constructively at our request and work to find a solution.

We would be grateful if you would consult with us on this matter and keep us updated as to your thoughts and progress. We are working to a tight timescale, and hope that by the 16th of February 2021, it will have been possible to make this simple amendment to the AIC standards and to have informed your scheme members of any changes, so that farmers and businesses can make preparations for March contracts. We imagine you would be in the process of making changes to this document in any case, as presumably you would be possibly replacing any use of the word 'EU' with the word 'UK'.

We intend to propose a change to the current format of the Combinable Crops Passport, creating a tick box for the farmer to declare 'Produced to UK standards', which should satisfy your members in the milling and processing industries that the crop has been produced to standards that are at least the equivalence of the imported combinables (for which use is currently permitted by the AIC).

I hope AIC agree that this move will be a step forward in creating equivalence in standards for UK/Eire farmers, and will increase competitiveness for our home producers.

I look forward to hearing from you on this matter, would be appreciative of an initial acknowledgement of this email, and then to be kept regularly updated as to your progress. If we can provide any constructive help in consulting and discussing any proposals you may have for bringing equivalence to the wording of the standards, we would be very pleased to be involved. In any case we would wish to agree the new wording before it is introduced.

We look forward to working with you and to be able to help improve the AIC standards, so that all producers from all nationalities are working to the same standard.”


We also think it would be worth investigating by the NFU weather this duel standard of grain acceptance to mills is a breach of the competitions act 1998, chapter 1, 2D which prohibits an agreement to apply dissimilar condition to similar transactions placing other trading parties at a disadvantage.
I look forward to your response

 

[Drillman]

@Clive maybe this should be a sticky up at the top for the time been?

 

[snipe]

Sent this to the Yorkshire Post

Good evening. I am not shaw if this is a story that the Yorkshire post would be interested in but if I give you the facts you can judge for your self
In June 2000 the NFU launched the food standard red tractor scheme, part of this scheme was ACCS (assured combinable crops scheme) for crops such as wheat barley and oil seed rape. farmers were encouraged to join the scheme as we were told it will increase the value of your product.
Fast forward 20 years. The AIC( agricultural industries confederation) is the agri supply industry’s leading trade association which sets the standard a large number of uk mills adhere to. For a uk farmer to supple these mills the AIC insist that the farmers are a member of ACCS red tractor scheme which costs the farmer money to be a member of and creates a lot of unnecessary paperwork. The AIC also set the standards that imported grain has to meet. At the present time these are lower standards than the uk farmers have to meet. Once at the mill these two products can be mix which means the red tractor logo can not be placed on the finished product. This make all the hard work by uk farmers pointless and puts us at a disadvantage against imported grain as it cost uk farmers a considerable amount of money and time to be part of ACCS red tractor scheme.
A large number of uk farmers are becoming increasingly disgruntled about this situation and we are lobbying the NFU, Red Tractor and AIC to set Uk and imported standard equal.
Would the Yorkshire post be interested in investigating this further and making the public aware that they are been supplied with imported food that does not meet the same standards of uk produced food

 

[Clive]

@Clive maybe this should be a sticky up at the top for the time been?

is done

 

[snipe]

Sent to AIC

Good morning, I have been studying the AIC documentary, "Feed/Food supplier schemes recognised by AIC" . Please could you tell me which if any recognised schemes US or Canadian farmers have to be members of to supply the Uk with whole combinable crops to meet your standards. Could you also explain to me in layman's terms what "first collection" means regarding to the role in the supply chain.
From reading this document it is quite obvious that There are different standards to be met for Uk/Eire grain compared to non UK/Eire grain that is been supplied to Uk mills, please could you explain the reason for this

 

[Clive]

If everyone on Twitter could retweet this please it will help spread Steve’s video

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1357630714188079106

 

[Grass And Grain]

@2tractors @Agrivator @tullah @colhonk @MrNoo @manhill @Kit Papworth @farmerm @Farma Parma @Feldspar @farmerfred86 @gone up the hill @Hesstondriver @Hindsight @milkloss @Humble Village Farmer @jendan @holwellcourtfarm @agricontract @legin @Fuzzy @l'ordinary bonville @jonnieboy @marshbarn @nickf @Moor end NY @mountfarm @AM_Arable @Adeptandy @ajd132 @Cowski @Breakthru @dontknowanything @Cowcorn @buffalo_soldier @Bury the Trash @dirty harry @Chris W @DrWazzock @DaveGrohl @Drillman @DangerRanger @Daniel @chipchap @Andy26 @Dan Powell @cb387 @Chris F @Doc @AlfM @Barleymow @Bob lincs @D14 @Clive @ploughman1963 @principal skinner @N.Yorks. @nick... @manhill @ollie989898 @Phil P @possumbility @Robt @Richard Budd @sahara @rhsl @Stephen E @Sid @stroller @SilliamWhale @spin cycle @snarling bee @Simon Chiles @Steevo @steveR @Secret Agronomist @Thomas Simpson @texelburger @Two Tone @tepapa @T Hectares @T C @teslacoils @Two Tone @theboytheboy @7610 super q @Worsall @Wombat @Wooly @Vader

Everyone,

FA costs my business about £500+/annum, over next 20 year's that's £10,000. I don't want to keep paying that unnecessarily when buyers will quite happily buy imported unassured.

Firstly, let me say thank you and well done to all who have been sending emails, it's brilliant, we're been noticed and will get results from this campaigning.

Before anyone wastes time writing any more waffle good useful discussion on TFF, I think TODAY our time would be best spent lobbying the people we want change from.

My own personal thoughts are that we need to force AIC to change their standards. I think that will be the first battle of the war, which will be pivotal to help dismantle the grip RT has on us, and should lead to a distinct shift in power from the assurance industry to us the farmers. We need nothing more than a tick box declaration on the grain passport to say 'Produced to UK Standards'. Then we are in control of ourselves.

Actions
If you haven't already done so, we need more emails sending. If you devise your own, please upload it to this thread. Please also add any email addresses to this thread that you feel are relevant (provided you feel it is OK to do so, i.e. they are publicly available etc. - I don't know the rules on this one, so use your judgement).

I'd like my AIC email (available at the top of this thread) sending out please. Send it to the AIC people, anyone at NFU, AHDB, RT etc. Ask the AIC to change their rules. Ask others such as AHDB, NFU, RT etc. if they could back the campaign to change the AIC rules. See some contact addresses below.

@snipe has, in a brilliant strategical manoeuvre, used his NFU membership benefits to use their legal advice service. We will use this again, so if you are an NFU member, don't use up your free legal advice just yet,we may need it. The irony being that the NFU are going to help us fight our battle with the NFU and RT . They're going to end up fighting themselves!

My suggestion is a simple initial paragraph, followed by copy and paste of the letter. Add your own example paragraph to this thread. Here are some that you could use...

To AIC...

Dear Sirs,
I understand that the AIC have a set of standards which stipulate a differentiation in the permissible standards between UK produced cereals and non-UK cereals. I would like to add my support to the campaign for AIC to change their rules with immediate effect, and in any case by the 16th of February 2021 so farmers can then prepare for 1st March contracts. I feel it is untenable to continue with the standards in their current form. I would appreciate being kept informed with progress in this matter, and request you change the wording of your standards to bring equivalence for UK farmers. I would also call on the AIC to consult with the group of farmers who sent the original letter, on any proposed changes to the new wording of the standards, so that we can be certain that your future standards for UK grain are equivalent to those of the non-UK. I'm sure the AIC will agree that the proposed change to these standards will bring equivalence for UK farmers and create a vibrant UK agriculture, with equivalent competitiveness, which in turn will be good for the UK farm supplies industry in which the AIC's scheme members are so heavily involved.


RT, AHDB, NFU, your MP, group secretary etc.

adapted from snipe's email...
Dear Sirs,
A group of farmers and myself are becoming increasingly concerned regarding the differentiation in permissible standards for UK/Eire produced whole combinable crops in comparison to imported grains. A letter has been sent to the AIC (Agricultural industries confederation), a copy of which you can read below. As your organisation works for and on behalf of UK cereal growers, I would like to ask you to forward on my concerns to the AIC, and please add your support for this campaign, so that we get equivalence of standards for UK cereal farmers. This will help end uncompetitiveness for UK farmers.

We would like to see a decision from the AIC by 16th of February, so that farmers and their customers can plan for 1st March contracts.

In light of this overdue change in the AIC standards, I would like for you to take steps to configure an amendment to the combinable crops passport. A new tick box declaration 'Produced to UK Standards' should satisfy our customers requirements to know that UK grain is produced to standards that have at the least equivalence to the non-UK grain which they currently find acceptable to purchase.

I call on your organisation to undertake a review of the standards set by the AIC, and produce a policy statement on the issue. As an organisation which is heavily involved in the UK cereal industry, I'm sure you will agree that we need to provide the best possible competitiveness for UK growers, and trust that your organisation's policy statement will reflect that. I would appreciate being kept informed of your actions on this matter, and look forward to reading your policy statement.


Three of the top people at AIC...

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

AHDB

[email protected]
[email protected]

RT

[email protected]

This is also believed to be a Red Tractor email address...
[email protected]


Please add any other relevant contacts to this thread.

 

[WOODCHIP]

Just emailed grass and grains letter to Ahdb and AIC keep up the good work guys I would be happy to donate to fund a legal fight.

 

[SilliamWhale]

Thanks I'll be doing some this evening. Well done @Grass And Grain

Still seems to be a lot of secrecy behind it all which is very very odd. Apparently David Walston and Minette Batters have had a "confidential chat" whereby their views may be possibly very much aligned, however this is an inference rather than a confirmation. I can tell where Walston stands on it all because he's stated it. All seems hush hush so the little people don't have to trouble their brains with lofty complex stuff.

Its all very odd, the level of fence sitting is strange. If you can't establish what the Union leaders stand for on a scheme they own (hitherto the message has been "our suppliers demand this of us") and their response is coded as "reply to the consultation, don't ask us for a public view" then they really have created a mess.

 

[ploughman1963]

Well, Ive just spent the last 3 hours sending emails to all the places /people suggested on here plus a whole load of thers I thought might be interested in investigating the story or offering support. If everyone else has done the same there will be some people cursing when they open their emails on Monday

 

[Grass And Grain]

Nice @ploughman1963

AIC have removed all contacts and email addresses from their website. Must have been a busy day today on their server!

 

[snipe]

Just been on AIC website. Contact detail still there. Click “about” then “contacts”

 

[steveR]

Nice @ploughman1963

AIC have removed all contacts and email addresses from their website. Must have been a busy day today on their server!

Too late!!!

 

[Grass And Grain]

Just been on AIC website. Contact detail still there. Click “about” then “contacts”

There was a big long list, with CEO, Chairman, Execs etc. All with their emails amd telephone numbers available. All gone now afaik.

Just the general enquiries shown now.

 

[JimWilson]

There was a big long list, with CEO, Chairman, Execs etc. All with their emails amd telephone numbers available. All gone now afaik.

Just the general enquiries shown now.

Here's the google web cache showing all the contact details..

Contacts

webcache.googleusercontent.com

 

[Steevo]

Here's the google web cache showing all the contact details..

Contacts

webcache.googleusercontent.com

Someone better screenshot that and post it up on here

 

[ploughman1963]

Thats another 5 mails gone .

Roberta Reeve is definately one for an email - this issue is definately one for her department.

 

[stroller]

Just emailed Roberta Reeve and Sue Whittington and added this at the start:
I am writing on behalf of UK cereal farmers, and other farmers affected by the sham that is red Tractor