Red Tractor - Mass Cancellation

[Agrispeed]

I don't mind red tractor, Its a bit of a pain but relatively benign. The alternatives, which would be buyer mandated are much more complicated, expensive and time consuming, RT currently keeps these at bay, for the most part. Unless you're dairy in which case 3 or more inspections annually is not uncommon

 

[Wooly]

I hate it with a passion.............. especially as the majority of the food sold in the UK is not Farm Assured, particularly the imported food. British produce, with all the cross compliance rules, should make it more than safe without the extra cost of RT.

The poll on here last year suggested only 10% of TFF members were in favour of RT.

I have cancelled my NFU membership, held since I started farming; just because the NFU's promotion of THEIR RT scheme. Perhaps if more members did the same, they may start to listen to their members concerns !!

 

[Sharpy]

Just for informations sake, Farm Assurance in Scotland has been whole life for well over 10 years. No problem apart from the 10p a kilo price difference for unassured stock when the rules came in. Plenty of people who aren't farm assured though, who also often top the market, which, on the face of it does fly in the face of the"farm assurance premium ". These people are however very good at what they do.
It will be interesting to see what happens in England, and whether a two tier market evolves.

 

[Bill the Bass]

I too think the RT scheme is getting a joke but now is not the time to jack it in, the livestock industry is under more scrutiny than ever before and fighting on numerous fronts, dropping RT would be a serious PR own goal for the industry as much as it pains me to say.

 

[beardface]

Only people that can “shut you down” is trading standards. We’re RT for everything now as I wanted the option to sell dead for beef and lamb. To be honest I’d gladly end the strangle hold of self regulation. At the end of the day if we all quit assurance schemes tomorrow processors and retailers would still bye it regardless. It’s that fact that we persuaded ourselves to create an endless regulation racket that makes me laugh. Only in Britain......

 

[Demolition Man]

Farm assurance is a flea on the back of my neck , irritating but not life threatening .

But the fleas are multiplying, how long until you become exsanguinated

 

[yellowbelly]

Maybe, just maybe..... it's time for somebody to start a Blue/Green/Yellow or some other coloured Tractor that was run by a farmer orientated organisation that purported to have farmers' best interests at heart........

.................oh, hang on....

 

[FarmerBruce]

I don't mind red tractor, Its a bit of a pain but relatively benign. The alternatives, which would be buyer mandated are much more complicated, expensive and time consuming, RT currently keeps these at bay, for the most part. Unless you're dairy in which case 3 or more inspections annually is not uncommon

Just dairy??? Try pigs too!!
Farm assurance, freedom foods, EA, trading standards, 4x vet visits.

 

[Demolition Man]

Just for informations sake, Farm Assurance in Scotland has been whole life for well over 10 years. No problem apart from the 10p a kilo price difference for unassured stock when the rules came in. Plenty of people who aren't farm assured though, who also often top the market, which, on the face of it does fly in the face of the"farm assurance premium ". These people are however very good at what they do.
It will be interesting to see what happens in England, and whether a two tier market evolves.

In your opinion therefore leaving the assurance scheme would result in an immediate 10p drop in your price? Or a 10p increase for the previously un-assured?

 

[matthew]

What made me boiling at our last inspection, was a close call on non compliance because the chap who sprayed the docks off hadn’t included
the MOT for his sprayer or his certification.
He’d had a heart attack and was home and able to read out the relevant guff she wanted. So ‘we’ passed.
What was that to do with the welfare of our stock?

We have an inspection on Monday. I’ll report back.... ( when I’ve done the rat plan, which will be when I’ve consulted said rats as to their future intentions)

 

[topground]

Whole life assurance is being pushed by the Supermarket buyers cartel through their ownership of Red Tractor.
Whole life assurance is their route to securing vertical integration of the cattle industry in the same way as they have secured control of the pig and poultry sector.
If farmers are stupid enough to sign up to whole life assurance for cattle the Supermarkets have it in their power to outlaw any movement for cattle through a market and so they can remove at a stroke any competition for our stock in the market and so they dictate the price to the primary producer which is their basic business model.
Anyone with any doubt as to this being likely only has to look at the four moves 'rule' introduced into the market to artificially reduce the price to the primary producer.
What is the NFU position on this potential for further market manipulation by the Supermarket buyers please?
@Guy Smith

 

[bobk]

But the fleas are multiplying, how long until you become exsanguinated

Dictionary time .... I'll check that out

 

[Sharpy]

In your opinion therefore leaving the assurance scheme would result in an immediate 10p drop in your price? Or a 10p increase for the previously un-assured?

Up here there isn't that much difference now, but I think that it's because the few fattening guys that aren't assured buy the slightly cheaper non assured if it suits there job, and I assume English buyers take the rest as TB rules help cheapen our usually cheaper.
But yes, at first non assured cattle of any age traded at a discount due to all the big abattoirs requiring FA stock and the inability to upgrade cattle.

 

[Sharpy]

Whole life assurance is being pushed by the Supermarket buyers cartel through their ownership of Red Tractor.
Whole life assurance is their route to securing vertical integration of the cattle industry in the same way as they have secured control of the pig and poultry sector.
If farmers are stupid enough to sign up to whole life assurance for cattle the Supermarkets have it in their power to outlaw any movement for cattle through a market and so they can remove at a stroke any competition for our stock in the market and so they dictate the price to the primary producer which is their basic business model.
Anyone with any doubt as to this being likely only has to look at the four moves 'rule' introduced into the market to artificially reduce the price to the primary producer.
What is the NFU position on this potential for further market manipulation by the Supermarket buyers please?
@Guy Smith

I'm think its McDonald's pushing the 4 move rule, was told that was the case up here anyway.

 

[bobk]

The Majors are trying another tactic to kill auctions , deadweight will kill us eventually

 

[bobk]

But the fleas are multiplying, how long until you become exsanguinated

Come to france if you want to see beauracracy at it's finest , we're playing at paper pushing in comparison .

 

[Demolition Man]

Come to france if you want to see beauracracy at it's finest , we're playing at paper pushing in comparison .

And we could tell the Kiwis the same thing but still doesn’t excuse pointless beauracracy.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Whole life assurance is being pushed by the Supermarket buyers cartel through their ownership of Red Tractor.
Whole life assurance is their route to securing vertical integration of the cattle industry in the same way as they have secured control of the pig and poultry sector.
If farmers are stupid enough to sign up to whole life assurance for cattle the Supermarkets have it in their power to outlaw any movement for cattle through a market and so they can remove at a stroke any competition for our stock in the market and so they dictate the price to the primary producer which is their basic business model.
Anyone with any doubt as to this being likely only has to look at the four moves 'rule' introduced into the market to artificially reduce the price to the primary producer.
What is the NFU position on this potential for further market manipulation by the Supermarket buyers please?
@Guy Smith

As far as I’m aware markers don’t count as a move, it’s farm residencies

 

[bobk]

And we could tell the Kiwis the same thing but still doesn’t excuse pointless beauracracy.

It creates employment ....

 

[Demolition Man]

It creates employment ....