Red Tractor to launch new basic standard for combinable crops

[Grass And Grain]

It can't be that difficult.

If the import standard isn't legal, who do we report the likes of frontier etc to for bringing illegal imports in? Tesco got found out with horse meat.

Do we all need to report this to our local trading standards?

Defra? That is after all the government agency responsible.

if someone knows how to report this then please make it known so we can start stirring the sh!t.

If the import standards don't meet our legal standards, but the mills purchase them, then to meet the mill's intake standards we shouldn't need to do any more than match the import standards (in regards to assurance).

We are all producing to UK legal standards, but why do we need to pay RT to prove it, given imports aren't been farm assure to the same standard.

 

[farmerm]

What would be the point in a "basic standard"? Specifically which bits of the standards would be excluded? Anything that can be excluded from a basic standard clearly has no legal standing and therefore should not be present in the standard standard either.....

 

[Andy26]

It can't be that difficult.

If the import standard isn't legal, who do we report the likes of frontier etc to for bringing illegal imports in? Tesco got found out with horse meat.

Do we all need to report this to our local trading standards?

Defra? That is after all the government agency responsible.

if someone knows how to report this then please make it known so we can start stirring the sh!t.

Politicians won't tackle it, as it hinders free trade.

Probably all the clothes you're wearing right now have been produced with methods not legal in the UK.

 

[Badshot]

Politicians won't tackle it, as it hinders free trade.

Probably all the clothes you're wearing right now have been produced with methods not legal in the UK.

I understand the sentiment of what you're saying, but if we supplied food that didn't meet the legal standards in the UK, we'd be right in the sh!t and would be stopped from doing so.

Is it a case of the volumes are so large they will turn a blind eye? If so then maybe openfield can start supplying import quality commodities, if they argue it with the end user perhaps someone might begin to listen.

 

[Badshot]

Murder 1 person and you're done for, murder a million and no one cares

Putin

 

[willyorkshire]

I'm afraid he lied again when he said that "certain standards fall below what's required for food safety".

It doesn't stop the imported stuff going into the food chain, so what he said is completely false.

I suppose they are avoiding the term "legally produced under UK standards" because those few words do away with any need for farm assurance (like the importers have).

No, he was pointing out that we couldn't drop to imported wheat standard because our own grain would then fail UK regulations.
That doesn't explain why it's still allowed in though.
Still a long way to go on this to sort it out.
Thanks to Ollie for giving us some idea of how things are developing.

 

[Hampton]

I’m a little confused.
So the basic level will mean I can sell grain to my neighbour (which I already can) but I’ll likely need current red tractor to sell to the feed mills/Trafford

 

[SilliamWhale]

No, he was pointing out that we couldn't drop to imported wheat standard because our own grain would then fail UK regulations.

Who was asking for that? No one

 

[Andy26]

No, he was pointing out that we couldn't drop to imported wheat standard because our own grain would then fail UK regulations.
That doesn't explain why it's still allowed in though.
Still a long way to go on this to sort it out.
Thanks to Ollie for giving us some idea of how things are developing.

Ollie sounded like he was pacified by the possible changes, sounded like nothing more than a token gesture that may benefit a small feed mill and supplying farmers, but really everyone will still need RT apart from imports.

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

I thought that. Surely it means imports aren't up to scratch?

What Olly/RT have failed to say is we produce to legal standards anyway, so there's actually no need for RT to wedge themselves in-between seller and buyer.

Still, it's a step in the right direction.

British Farming Union are slowly winning little battles , and we'll keep going. Please, everyone, consider joining us for £10/annum, we will keep working on this

Why you will never ever get anyone from NFU to debate anything in public. You will be shut down with cries of bullying at the first question.

He has basically just explained to the whole world why red tractor is nothing more and nothing less than a fee earning exercise.

 

[Clive]

i just see no point in watering it down if it still holds the keys to market acess

this is the fundamental issue at stake - it’s not right for any single, monopoly company to control market access

as long as it does it will be compulsory and that’s just not right as compulsory mean more and more can be added with farmers having no choice but to accept or revolt !

 

[willyorkshire]

Who was asking for that? No one

Think you misinterpreted that!
From Ollie's video and many references to imported grain or whatever, it appears that some imports do not even meet UK min regulatory standards. I don't think anyone has suggested sinking to that level, just for a level playing field.

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

Why would he lie?

They are all afraid of the truth.

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

No, he was pointing out that we couldn't drop to imported wheat standard because our own grain would then fail UK regulations.
That doesn't explain why it's still allowed in though.
Still a long way to go on this to sort it out.
Thanks to Ollie for giving us some idea of how things are developing.

Seems that way. Imported doesn't meet the standards required so we must have red tractor, when any grain grown here to proper legal standards... er hang on?

What is new though, is that there is now open criticism of RT from numerous NFU bods.

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

Think you misinterpreted that!
From Ollie's video and many references to imported grain or whatever, it appears that some imports do not even meet UK min regulatory standards. I don't think anyone has suggested sinking to that level, just for a level playing field.

Actually, import standards we all know, are lower than ours. So all we really need is "UK Farm Standard".

 

[Badshot]

Actually, import standards we all know, are lower than ours. So all we really need is "UK Farm Standard".

I disagree.

If we're going to allow these imports to come in with lower standards, then as has been said before we should be allowed the same import parity standards for ours. If that makes the mills complain then we should not be importing the lower standard in the first place.

In all this though I do realise that red tractor inspections do mean other organisations shouldn't be inspecting us, and that is a bonus as the regulatory bodies would be far more rigorous in their inspections.

Perhaps we need to make that more evident, 1 inspection means 1, not to be followed up by trading standards, EA, HSE etc.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Non assured wheat and barley grain wanted ring Zena 01588 673636 Sastak

 

[redsloe]

i just see no point in watering it down if it still holds the keys to market acess

this is the fundamental issue at stake - it’s not right for any single, monopoly company to control market access

as long as it does it will be compulsory and that’s just not right as compulsory mean more and more can be added with farmers having no choice but to accept or revolt !

Rinse and repeat.

Sod that.

Spend my 40's pandering and failing inspections due to new non-compliance rules from RT every visit. Not spending the rest of my days doing it.

Saving their jobs by the back door Is what it is in reality. It's not happening for our benefit that's for sure.

 

[texelburger]

Folks,
Don't forget non of this would of happened without the pesky,shouty,peasant farmers on that horrible TFF and the subsequent irritating bunch that joined the BFU
Give yourselves a huge pat on the back.
Of course we have yet to see the fine details,so don't get too excited.We also need to address the import conundrum.

 

[DrWazzock]

Yes I’m truly grateful to the good folk on here including @Clive obviously as without this forum there would have been no focal point for valid and reasonable concerns. Thanks to those who continue to work hard including @Grass And Grain and plenty others to turn these concerns into coherent and reasoned arguments to put to the powers that be. Without that hard work and time given by those folk, our whinges and moans would only be just that. It can feel like a lonely job at the head of a new organisation taking first steps but rest assured that many farmers are 100% behind you.
I’m very pleased to see at least some acknowledgement of our valid and justified concerns. Well done.