Red Tractor sector board passes leadership vote of no confidence

[slackjawedyokel]

At the minute, RT is just making the job of NFU (and AHDB) harder. If the senior management went, NFU could make a good show of reforming RT into something they can at least make a good argument for being beneficial to UK farmers.
With the current ‘team’ in place, that’s a very difficult task because farmers see them as a big part of the problem with what RT has become.

Virtually every NFU and AHDB statement on RT has been couched in terms of ‘RT is a good thing for UKAG and…’. I think that more recently they have been talking about FA being the good thing, which currently means RT because it’s the only kid on the block for most of us.

That COULD change.

Unfortunately I couldn’t get to the NFU meeting on FA the week before last (just too busy a time of year to take the afternoon off). Would’ve liked to have gone to express my opinions.

Like I’ve said- I’m more hopeful about NFU now than previously.

 

[texelburger]

I suppose, looking on the bright side, there is more chance of NFU doing something about the RT situation under it’s current management than previously.
I can’t imagine the previous president would ever have pulled the plug on GFC.
Presumably that has already caused a bit of friction between NFU and any corporate sponsors.

It’s up to the NFU to decide where its allegiances lie. Hopefully it’s with us. I’m sure that if it’s seen to be wholeheartedly behind farmers then their farming membership would increase. I’d rejoin for a start!

I hope the NFU change under the new President, as currently their allegiances are clearly with the corporate members and not the farmers.
The Problem we have is the NFU,AHDB have a vested interest in the RT cosy club so they would like to maintain the status quo.Fortunately the NSA actually represent their farmer members and not the retail sector who seemed to have gained influence on the RT board in recent years .
I ,personally, see no value whatsoever in RT assurance as
- imported ,non assured,non traceable feed and milling wheat foods into the UK and is freely mixed with our assured uk wheat.As a result no RT logo can be applied.
The same could be said of most imported food leaving very little RT logo to be seen on the Supermarket shelves. I ,occasionally, look at our weekly Supermarket shop (Sainsburys) and the ONLY item with a RT logo is Mcains frozen chips !

 

[slackjawedyokel]

I ,personally, see no value whatsoever in RT assurance as
- imported ,non assured,non traceable feed and milling wheat foods into the UK and is freely mixed with our assured uk wheat.As a result no RT logo can be applied.

I agree about the value of RT.

We joined when it was still FABBL with the promise of premium pricing (and when the cost of inspection/compliance was minimal). Unfortunately we then discovered that the premium promise was not true but we couldn’t leave because it had been arranged that there was no market for our main products outside of RT (fat organic cattle and grain). (Could sell our sheep non-RT)

If NFU is serious about RT reform, they need to:

1) Get rid of the RT stranglehold on the market. (So we CAN leave if it’s not working for us).

2) Show us a true premium for RT produce (so we will WANT to be members rather than being FORCED to for zero premium.).

 

[texelburger]

I agree about the value of RT.

We joined when it was still FABBL with the promise of premium pricing (and when the cost of inspection/compliance was minimal). Unfortunately we then discovered that the premium promise was not true but we couldn’t leave because it had been arranged that there was no market for our main products outside of RT (fat organic cattle and grain). (Could sell our sheep non-RT)

If NFU is serious about RT reform, they need to:

1) Get rid of the RT stranglehold on the market. (So we CAN leave if it’s not working for us).

2) Show us a true premium for RT produce (so we will WANT to be members rather than being FORCED to for zero premium.).

Spot on.

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

I suppose, looking on the bright side, there is more chance of NFU doing something about the RT situation under it’s current management than previously.

Tom Bradshaw was on the board of AFS as vice president. He voted for the GFC..

I wonder whether the NFU are now dependent on the corporate membership for survival. If that's the case, they can't afford to stick up for farmers anymore.

 

[Rnold]

At the minute, RT is just making the job of NFU (and AHDB) harder. If the senior management went, NFU could make a good show of reforming RT into something they can at least make a good argument for being beneficial to UK farmers.
With the current ‘team’ in place, that’s a very difficult task because farmers see them as a big part of the problem with what RT has become.

Virtually every NFU and AHDB statement on RT has been couched in terms of ‘RT is a good thing for UKAG and…’. I think that more recently they have been talking about FA being the good thing, which currently means RT because it’s the only kid on the block for most of us.

That COULD change.

Unfortunately I couldn’t get to the NFU meeting on FA the week before last (just too busy a time of year to take the afternoon off). Would’ve liked to have gone to express my opinions.

Like I’ve said- I’m more hopeful about NFU now than previously.

I have been to one of the county meetings laid on by the NFU. It was poorly attended but those there did have a good discussion and put forward their views on RT ,corporate sponsorship money and the need to heed the concerns of the farmer membership.

I think that the rising stars within the NFU understand and I too my more hopeful than I was.

 

[Birdlipper]

I hope the NFU change under the new President, as currently their allegiances are clearly with the corporate members and not the farmers.
The Problem we have is the NFU,AHDB have a vested interest in the RT cosy club so they would like to maintain the status quo.Fortunately the NSA actually represent their farmer members and not the retail sector who seemed to have gained influence on the RT board in recent years .
I ,personally, see no value whatsoever in RT assurance as
- imported ,non assured,non traceable feed and milling wheat foods into the UK and is freely mixed with our assured uk wheat.As a result no RT logo can be applied.
The same could be said of most imported food leaving very little RT logo to be seen on the Supermarket shelves. I ,occasionally, look at our weekly Supermarket shop (Sainsburys) and the ONLY item with a RT logo is Mcains frozen chips !

Not massively surprising as Sainsburys stated that while using the assurance scheme, they would not be using the RT logo

 

[Grass And Grain]

I hope the NFU change under the new President, as currently their allegiances are clearly with the corporate members and not the farmers.
The Problem we have is the NFU,AHDB have a vested interest in the RT cosy club so they would like to maintain the status quo.Fortunately the NSA actually represent their farmer members and not the retail sector who seemed to have gained influence on the RT board in recent years .
I ,personally, see no value whatsoever in RT assurance as
- imported ,non assured,non traceable feed and milling wheat foods into the UK and is freely mixed with our assured uk wheat.As a result no RT logo can be applied.
The same could be said of most imported food leaving very little RT logo to be seen on the Supermarket shelves. I ,occasionally, look at our weekly Supermarket shop (Sainsburys) and the ONLY item with a RT logo is Mcains frozen chips !

They'll insist on RT spuds as being essential, but then probably forget about provenance of the sunflower oil.

I agree about the value of RT.

We joined when it was still FABBL with the promise of premium pricing (and when the cost of inspection/compliance was minimal). Unfortunately we then discovered that the premium promise was not true but we couldn’t leave because it had been arranged that there was no market for our main products outside of RT (fat organic cattle and grain). (Could sell our sheep non-RT)

If NFU is serious about RT reform, they need to:

1) Get rid of the RT stranglehold on the market. (So we CAN leave if it’s not working for us).

2) Show us a true premium for RT produce (so we will WANT to be members rather than being FORCED to for zero premium.).

I agree with the two points above. Question is, how do we do that?

Could NFU force retailers to accept a more standard baseline product e.g. local authority inspected. Then tell the retailers to offer a premium price for RT. There would then be a balance between price premium and hassle factor of being RT assured.

Price premium is high enough and retailers got loads of RT produce. Premium too low and they get hardly any RT produce.

Supermarkets won't want to do the above, because NFU have given them plentiful supplies of RT for free.

Maybe now's the time to get tougher. Let's see them put their money where their mouths are.

I have been to one of the county meetings laid on by the NFU. It was poorly attended but those there did have a good discussion and put forward their views on RT ,corporate sponsorship money and the need to heed the concerns of the farmer membership.

I think that the rising stars within the NFU understand and I too my more hopeful than I was.

What was the general feeling do you think?

Not massively surprising as Sainsburys stated that while using the assurance scheme, they would not be using the RT logo

They have to pay to use the logo, so it sort of disincentives use of the logo, then consumers don't see it, so no chance of a price premium.

 

[teslacoils]

They have to pay to use the logo, so it sort of disincentives use of the logo, then consumers don't see it, so no chance of a price premium.

I mean....they could obligate purchasers to use the logo ...it would be free brand awareness. Why make them pay to use it?

 

[slackjawedyokel]

I mean....they could obligate purchasers to use the logo ...it would be free brand awareness. Why make them pay to use it?

Also, if retailers didn’t pay to use the logo, there would be no need to have retailers representatives having any say in the running of RT.