So how many farmers have recently left the NFU?

[neilo]

@oh Neilo
The bag of spinach is just a symbol pointing out the problems. You go on about the issues with rt. Have you a solution. The Nfu is like the mayor of Dodge City wanting all power and giving nothing back. I wait your reply to enlighten me.

I have repeatedly posted my ‘solution’, which is to do away with RT in it’s entirety. UK legislation requires that we all farm to certain standards, which are policed by Trading Standards, DEFRA, RPW, etc. RT seeks to gold plate those standards (an example being requiring annual sprayer MOTs, rather than the legally required three yearly test), which there is precious little market demand for.

Any buyer that does value that extra level can audit it themselves, and pay the premium required to get producers to jump through those hoops for those contracts, as they already do anyway, when they are trying to make out that they are better retailers than their competitors.

RT (& the NFU) insist that farm assurance means that each retailer doesn’t do their own audits, but they do already, where they seek to pretend they are offering something ‘different’. RT doesn’t offer us, the producers, anything of value, but does add costs, and disproportionately higher for smaller producers.

Scrap it, completely. There’s my solution, as it’s always been.

However, ranting about conspiracies over a mislabelled bag of salad on an anonymous internet forum is just a ridiculous distraction, imho.

 

[Bury the Trash]

Why you stick up for imported spinach with Blitish rabel?

because he nice guy and no likes bullies

 

[Andy Nash]

I have repeatedly posted my ‘solution’, which is to do away with RT in it’s entirety. UK legislation requires that we all farm to certain standards, which are policed by Trading Standards, DEFRA, RPW, etc. RT seeks to gold plate those standards (an example being requiring annual sprayer MOTs, rather than the legally required three yearly test), which there is precious little market demand for.

Any buyer that does value that extra level can audit it themselves, and pay the premium required to get producers to jump through those hoops for those contracts, as they already do anyway, when they are trying to make out that they are better retailers than their competitors.

RT (& the NFU) insist that farm assurance means that each retailer doesn’t do their own audits, but they do already, where they seek to pretend they are offering something ‘different’. RT doesn’t offer us, the producers, anything of value, but does add costs, and disproportionately higher for smaller producers.

Scrap it, completely. There’s my solution, as it’s always been.

However, ranting about conspiracies over a mislabelled bag of salad on an anonymous internet forum is just a ridiculous distraction, imho.

Agreed. Are you going to scrap Red Tractor on your farm?

 

[SilliamWhale]

However, ranting about conspiracies over a mislabelled bag of salad on an anonymous internet forum is just a ridiculous distraction, imho.

It's actually about data gathering and sharing to flush out the wrong uns

 

[Henarar]

The pitch fork wielding mob on here gets better and better

quite

 

[neilo]

Agreed. Are you going to scrap Red Tractor on your farm?

I am not assured for my (small scale) cereals, as the cost of complying with the gold plating is disproportionately high for small producers.

I remain a member of FAWL though, as it means I can sell dw if I chose, and there are several buyers in my local mart that only buy FA lambs. I really don’t find the requirements for assured lamb to be particularly onerous or costly, most being legal requirements of good practice already.

 

[Jackall]

Neilo.I farm in an arable area and to market crop I need to comply with norso/ cpd As do all my neighbours. Is there any farmers in your area have annual sprayer tests. Or do you use contractors. Do many have pa1 / pa2 or even pa 6 for a knapsack. I think livestock farmers may have different views

 

[SilliamWhale]

I am not assured for my (small scale) cereals, as the cost of complying with the gold plating is disproportionately high for small producers.

I remain a member of FAWL though, as it means I can sell dw if I chose, and there are several buyers in my local mart that only buy FA lambs. I really don’t find the requirements for assured lamb to be particularly onerous or costly, most being legal requirements of good practice already.

You shouldn't have to have your grain discounted to sell it even if it is inferior to RT stuff. My suspicion is that it is illegal

 

[neilo]

Neilo.I farm in an arable area and to market crop I need to comply with norso/ cpd As do all my neighbours. Is there any farmers in your area have annual sprayer tests. Or do you use contractors. Do many have pa1 / pa2 or even pa 6 for a knapsack. I think livestock farmers may have different views

Yes, lots of farm assured arable units around, with all that entails. Like most of the neighbours that I know of, I have all my spraying tickets. Personally I use contractors for combining, baling and shearing, but everything else myself, unless I’m under the cosh.
A great many of the larger local sheep/mixed units sell dw, many on supermarket contracts, and are farm assured (+ supermarket audits on top) to do so.

 

[Andy Nash]

I am not assured for my (small scale) cereals, as the cost of complying with the gold plating is disproportionately high for small producers.

I remain a member of FAWL though, as it means I can sell dw if I chose, and there are several buyers in my local mart that only buy FA lambs. I really don’t find the requirements for assured lamb to be particularly onerous or costly, most being legal requirements of good practice already.

Agreed again. The problem for me and for you if you sell any to neighbours is what happens if RT manage to make it impossible for farm to farm unassured sales. The rug will be pulled out.

 

[gatepost]

Rt may well have been dreamt up with the best of intentions at a difficult time, however it has morphed into power and control, you see the policy in action every where, with the ensuing stress that it causes, Ofsted for example, now either we value our individuality as sole traders reserving the right to buy and sell to whom we wish, or welcome to the sort of control which will ultimately demote us to mere lackeys of big business, machinery on lease, unable to treat animal or crop with out a scrip from a well paid third party, when you can drive on your field etc, all signed up for by folk who due to their egos cannot bare to say ''whoa, stop we got this wrong''

 

[TelesnaAg]

See attached article, trust me useless money sucking farmers unions arent unique to the uk. Our state one here in oz ran by the most hopeless pr*ck going,a rich daddys girl, whos in it for corporate notoriety, has all but imploded.

Its dead in the water, the grain side if things are going out on there own, but this nutcase braindead retard will be the last vff president, it will be financially bust within 6 months tops id suggest.

Ant...

 

[ajd132]

See attached article, trust me useless money sucking farmers unions arent unique to the uk. Our state one here in oz ran by the most hopeless pr*ck going,a rich daddys girl, whos in it for corporate notoriety, has all but imploded.

Its dead in the water, the grain side if things are going out on there own, but this nutcase braindead retard will be the last vff president, it will be financially bust within 6 months tops id suggest.

Ant...

Worse than politicians these people.

 

[TelesnaAg]

Worse than politicians these people.

Politician wannabe alot of them.

Its amazing to see with our ag gdp very gigh and the representatives on the way out, clearly they missing the mark.

Ant...