Red tractor statement on level playing field

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
I said a few years ago (at the time Tesco was in the doldrums because of their accounting scandal) that UK farming should buy it, and turn it into the 'British Supermarket'. I think the cost worked out at about £100/acre across the board.

It would likely have been finished by now if farmers had taken control, with the other sharks expanding to fill the void.
 

kiwi pom

Member
Location
canterbury NZ
You do realise that there are plenty of farmers that wouldn’t/couldn’t buy a new tractor, even one only costing £50k?
A hell of a lot don’t have £10k spare they can spend on Tesco (or any other) shares either I would think.
Totally agree, on the other hand there are plenty that could invest. How many, what shall I buy to avoid paying tax, threads are on here?
How many farmers also own holiday lets or rental properties?
Most of the big farmers round here have money in the supply chain somewhere, even if they're just spending on opening up new markets.
 

kiwi pom

Member
Location
canterbury NZ
no he wouldnt be. but theres plenty of soya and Maize gluten that might be,which is all part of the unlevel playing field
The problem is a lot of livestock farmers depend on competitive feeds like soya and maize gluten to remain profitable.
If cereals farmers had their way and grain was 300 quid a ton with no hope of importing anything, what would happen to the UK livestock industry?
 

Kiwi Pete

Member
Livestock Farmer
So the answer is NO then??

Sounds very much like the sheep industry in the UK has the same problem as the grain industry when it comes to much lower standard inports being allowed into the UK.
My answer was, ask them.
If you think you know the answer, why tag me?

I don't know what their new rules / regs / guidelines are - I only kept 3 ewes to mow the lawn, and their lambs had a ring put on their balls/tails before they stood up
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
The problem is a lot of livestock farmers depend on competitive feeds like soya and maize gluten to remain profitable.
If cereals farmers had their way and grain was 300 quid a ton with no hope of importing anything, what would happen to the UK livestock industry?

It would have to evolve, with systems relying on lots of concentrates becoming less viable and a greater emphasis on forage.
It would certainly create upheaval, and a reduction in supply.
 

Humble Village Farmer

Member
BASE UK Member
Location
Essex
Don't forget, imports only needed a pesticide declaration till a few weeks ago. That was obviously removed in preparation of the level playing field announcement.

UKFM also went to some lengths to extol the virtues of the German government inspection scheme, and its risk to BPS payments which is exactly what we have here! While the Canadian milling wheat is not looked at until it has left the farm.

Still no-one has said what safety benefits dead tractor grain has over uk legal standard, despite the universal acceptance of what is nothing more than a tick box exercise.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Off topic and sorry to be so pedantic but things have changed. If you have a visit nowadays from HSE you will get a bill from them, they now have to cover their expenses by charging for inspections.

No. They only charge for the inspection if they issue more than 2 notices.

A cynic might think they would be under pressure to do so, but I wasn’t billed as I ‘only’ had the 2. Friends that had 3 notices were charged for the visit.
 

Dave645

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
N Lincs
Off topic and sorry to be so pedantic but things have changed. If you have a visit nowadays from HSE you will get a bill from them, they now have to cover their expenses by charging for inspections.
Who triggers an inspection? If they just turn up out of the blue they can just bill us?
Ok just read the other reply’s only after warning notifications.
 
Last edited:

Dave645

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
N Lincs
Don't forget, imports only needed a pesticide declaration till a few weeks ago. That was obviously removed in preparation of the level playing field announcement.

UKFM also went to some lengths to extol the virtues of the German government inspection scheme, and its risk to BPS payments which is exactly what we have here! While the Canadian milling wheat is not looked at until it has left the farm.

Still no-one has said what safety benefits dead tractor grain has over uk legal standard, despite the universal acceptance of what is nothing more than a tick box exercise.
The German system sits well with RT goals, they Lobby our government with lofty goals I am sure they would be happy to become a government funded scheme.
 

Andy26

Moderator
Arable Farmer
Location
Northants
And it wasn't the non farming union who helped any of this change to come about. It was a handful of farmers who went out gathering support and did it all off their own bat under a great team leader.
Dont let the non farming union take the credit for what's been achieved.
Exactly, the NFU are part of the problem so not sure why they would be leading the review?

Very little noise, if any, coming from NFU hierarchy about RT level playing field and general RT problems. Plenty of noise lobbying for large agri-business to have access to cheap labour, probably representing a small percentage of NFU members.
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
Off topic and sorry to be so pedantic but things have changed. If you have a visit nowadays from HSE you will get a bill from them, they now have to cover their expenses by charging for inspections.

Why would being in Red Tractor make HSE or any other agency inspection less likely ?

does RT membership come with some sort of immunity card that you can show anyone with actual legal powers and tell them to sling their hook ? ........ if so. mine must have been lost in the post !
 

graham mc

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
East Yorkshire
i was told by a trading standards guy that red tractor for them meant that they had to do less farm inspections per year as red tractor did it. Not really relevant but it just shows how they will try to get in with just about anyone to add self importance. We were chosen for a visit as they still have to do a small % to make sure they are ok. It was a 5 minute visit and he looked at an empty grain store
 

texelburger

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Herefordshire
we are driving it ! That's their problem and it's a bit of a shock to the ag establishment i think !

i'm quite proud that for the first time i can recall farmers actually have a voice and and are working together to make positive change
It's a pity the NFU are no longer the voice for farmers, in fact they were probably working for the other side on this occasion. Sad days.
 
It's a pity the NFU are no longer the voice for farmers, in fact they were probably working for the other side on this occasion. Sad days.


Its becoming more toxic.

Did you know that top quality UK milling wheat is worth £5 ton under feed wheat without a RT inspection yet imports are fine?

Under what circumstances can this wash with a Farming Union? Its absolutely insane.

Who is going to stand up to this? @Grass And Grain is my farming hero of the decade for the way he has dilgently, politely and methodically worked on this. Definitely deserves recognition and something for his efforts.
 

Steevo

Member
Location
Gloucestershire
i was told by a trading standards guy that red tractor for them meant that they had to do less farm inspections per year as red tractor did it. Not really relevant but it just shows how they will try to get in with just about anyone to add self importance. We were chosen for a visit as they still have to do a small % to make sure they are ok. It was a 5 minute visit and he looked at an empty grain store

....and the truth of the matter is that the RT guy probably doesn't know what the trading standards guy should be looking for......and worse still the trading standards guy probably doesn't have a clue either!!

It's so far out of both of their remits because it's pretty much insignificant.
 

Grass And Grain

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Yorks
Its becoming more toxic.

Did you know that top quality UK milling wheat is worth £5 ton under feed wheat without a RT inspection yet imports are fine?

Under what circumstances can this wash with a Farming Union? Its absolutely insane.

Who is going to stand up to this? @Grass And Grain is my farming hero of the decade for the way he has dilgently, politely and methodically worked on this. Definitely deserves recognition and something for his efforts.
Aww, thanks.

Think we've now seen them all closing ranks on us.

I wish AHDB wouldn't entertain all the others, get off the fence and help.

Quite funny though. RT publicise how great their scheme is, recommend everyone uses it, but now they've released a statement saying it's not necessary for grain to be RT assured to be used for their own RT livestock feed :scratchhead: :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

They say feed should be assured under FEMAS (either RT or gatekeeper), but have always let mixed farmers mill and feed their own non-assured grain.

Do they want assured or not? I'm confused

Very strange.

It's slowly crumbling.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 80 42.3%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 66 34.9%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 15.9%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

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

  • 1,293
  • 1
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/
Top