The Red Tractor ACCS referendum

[Grass And Grain]

Just spoken to Farmers Weekly reporter with my RT views. He'd already written the article, but still took the time to listen to what I had to say.

Seemingly Jim Mosley and @Guy Smith had managed to find time to talk to the Farmers Weekly reporter. I suppose it's easy to make a statement to the press when you know no-one is going to debate with you and hold you to account by questioning.

If Guy and Jim and Minette are condident of their trajectory for RT and the reasoning behind it, then I'm sure they won't have any problem doing a TFF zoom question time for everyone to watch. We ask the questions, and they have the opportunity to give their reasoned and transparent responses.

NFU are holding various zoom meetings (which is great, but only NFU members) so lets get the debate in all channels to reach as wide an audience as possible by doing a TFF one.

If RT can't make anyone available it's a poor show. If RT are content with their scheme and the proposed changes, then they won't have any problems at all answering our questions.

 

[Grass And Grain]

I have asked to cancel my NFU membership, but told I would loose a 20% discount on my Farm Insurance! Is that legal?

Well done. Did you let them know why?

 

[Clive]

Many thanks, I am awaiting an email response from NFU Mutual.

......... to forward on to the FCA !

 

[Fruitloop]

I'm more likely to run out of time and money than anything else

We will be there for you Clive! Interesting comparison, and while Wat may have been chopped, what he and the peasants achieved was an irreversible momentum that led eventually to the end of serfdom. Circumstances are surprisingly similar - rebellion against an overbearing and corrupt aristocracy (largely French speaking at that point) has many parallels with the recent rebellion against a corrupt and overbearing bureaucracy. KBO Clive and team!

 

[Fruitloop]

......... to forward on to the FCA !
[/QUOTE

I have asked to cancel my NFU membership, but told I would loose a 20% discount on my Farm Insurance! Is that legal?

I think you need to lodge a formal complaint with the NFU Mutual and / or the FCA - Definitely something the Financial Conduct Authority should look at. Smells like restrictive practice to me. Cannot be legal in 2021 can it?
If you try alternative insurers it is quite possible that they would be cheaper than the NFUM -even at their "discounted" (Ho Ho Ho) rate- and probably for no disadvantage in cover. We looked at alternative cover recently and were impressed by the quality of the policy and also the prices. The broker was a farming specialist though.

 

[Fruitloop]

Unbelievable that the NFU are resorting to blackmail to keep their members

What has this industry become ? even the biggest defenders of the NFU should really take a moment and think about all this

A sure sign that they have lost the argument if they have to resort to bully-boy tactics.

 

[steveR]

Many thanks, I am awaiting an email response from NFU Mutual.

Keep us/me posted please...

 

[Drillman]

Just spoken to Farmers Weekly reporter with my RT views. He'd already written the article, but still took the time to listen to what I had to say.

Seemingly Jim Mosley and @Guy Smith had managed to find time to talk to the Farmers Weekly reporter. I suppose it's easy to make a statement to the press when you know no-one is going to debate with you and hold you to account by questioning.

If Guy and Jim and Minette are condident of their trajectory for RT and the reasoning behind it, then I'm sure they won't have any problem doing a TFF zoom question time for everyone to watch. We ask the questions, and they have the opportunity to give their reasoned and transparent responses.

NFU are holding various zoom meetings (which is great, but only NFU members) so lets get the debate in all channels to reach as wide an audience as possible by doing a TFF one.

If RT can't make anyone available it's a poor show. If RT are content with their scheme and the proposed changes, then they won't have any problems at all answering our questions.

That is an excellent point actually.

If RT don’t open up to all farmer members rather than just NFU ones it’s not really representative of farmers in general. And is bypassing a lot of paying RT members.

 

[An Gof]

That is an excellent point actually.

If RT don’t open up to all farmer members rather than just NFU ones it’s not really representative of farmers in general. And is bypassing a lot of paying RT members.

They aren’t interested in that. They only want replies from stakeholders that can be controlled and relied upon to give the “right” answer.

 

[steveR]

They aren’t interested in that. They only want replies from stakeholders that can be controlled and relied upon to give the “right” answer.

If that is the case, then it stinks...

Every member is a Stakeholder, surely????

 

[bluepower]

They aren’t interested in that. They only want replies from stakeholders that can be controlled and relied upon to give the “right” answer.

As you are aware An Gof I am surrendering the tenancy of our farm in the autumn. that said I could no longer subscribe to RT and their onerous conditions for much longer. I have already decided not to renew the Beef and Lamb sectors and if I could be sure of finding homes at the same market value i woild not bother with crop assurance for my last six moths in farming. What a state this has all got into, what on earth are we all doing?

 

[An Gof]

As you are aware An Gof I am surrendering the tenancy of our farm in the autumn. that said I could no longer subscribe to RT and their onerous conditions for much longer. I have already decided not to renew the Beef and Lamb sectors and if I could be sure of finding homes at the same market value i woild not bother with crop assurance for my last six moths in farming. What a state this has all got into, what on earth are we all doing?

Really feel for your situation @bluepower we have been acquainted for a good many years. I really do wish you the best and hope that the exit is as painless and fair as possible

PS The McHale straw bedder is still performing well

 

[Tamar]

As of tonight only 19 farmers out of 463 want to stick with Red Tractor ........... maybe a large percentage of that 19 have a vested interest in RT ?

A poll that was carried out on TFF two years ago showed 10% in favour of RT. Now it’s 4%.

Some of the very vocal pro RT then, have become very anti now. If the board members of RT and NFU don’t take notice of this result, then they really need to decide if they are representing farmers or their own interest. If nothing changes, you know it’s the latter !!

 

[sahara]

I've followed this thread with interest, and following the challenge set by one us to read and do the consultation before I moaned, I did just that, I sat and read it and gave my "feedback". It was pretty negative, but it was also quite clear to me that they didn't really want it, it wasn't what they wanted to hear. Genuinely I think that the only feedback that want to hear is from a retailer or processor saying "well done, keep those standards rising, cos we don't have to pay for them!"

For the third week in a row I have done or weekly shop. Taking inspiration from @Clive and his cupboard raiding I have been looking out for the RT logo. Well this week I went actively looking for it, the results were depressing but also made me quite angry.
I focused on whole or single ingredient type items, not processed things made up of several ingredients like bread. The items listed below all had a little bit of Union Jack flag on them and wording to say that they were wholly British in origin, most also had the suppliers name and County on them (Real traceability in my book) but not one had a RT logo or any mention of it.
This is a list of what I found did NOT have the RT logo.
Eggs
Milk
Potato's
Carrots
The rest of the veg section
Apples
Chicken
Pork Sausages
Beef
Lamb
Own brand Scottish Porridge Oats

As an Oat grower suppling Crewe I even managed to find some Porridge Oats in the Morning Foods branded packing and they also made no mention of RT.

Actually I couldn't find a single RT logo or any mention of Farm Assurance in the entire shop and I was actively looking for it.

The result of all this packet inspecting has made me ask two questions.

1. Why was the RT logo not on any of those things?

I was in Sainsburys, so do they have some sort of problem with RT and are not allowed to use it? Its no good asking any of the shop floor staff as they simply haven't got a clue. So if you have got to get in touch with some sort of specialist then clearly the message of what RT and its quality assurance is all about hasn't got out, despite RT having 20 years to get their house in order.

2 What is the point of RT then?

In the latest self congratulating and quite frankly laughable mail shot, RT wax's lyrical how trusted and recognisable etc etc it is to our ever discerning consumers. And yet in a random visit to a supermarket of the big 3 I couldn't find a single image of the RT logo in the whole shop. However I could find hundreds of customers happily buying all that clearly poor quality, substandard non assured produce!

Truly what is the f#####g point of all this charade?

At one point I thought it might help our exports, you know, buying a quality recognisable brand and all that jazz, but as we all know, it means d##k all when the ship turn up at its destination and the intake sample says its too wet. Don't forget even a quality branded car for example gets a PDI.


Any way, rant over, time for a shower!

 

[Steevo]

1. Why was the RT logo not on any of those things?

I was in Sainsburys, so do they have some sort of problem with RT and are not allowed to use it? Its no good asking any of the shop floor staff as they simply haven't got a clue. So if you have got to get in touch with some sort of specialist then clearly the message of what RT and its quality assurance is all about hasn't got out, despite RT having 20 years to get their house in order.

Why have you removed the Red Tractor logo from your products?
Customers have told us that too many logos are confusing, so we will be phasing out the use of the Red Tractor logo on packaging. We will still use the Red Tractor standards as a baseline, with many of our products reaching far higher standards

Why have you removed the Red Tractor logo from your products?

in Why have you removed the Red Tractor logo from your products?, T&Cs and Company ValuesHome.

help.sainsburys.co.uk

 

[An Gof]

Why have you removed the Red Tractor logo from your products?
Customers have told us that too many logos are confusing, so we will be phasing out the use of the Red Tractor logo on packaging. We will still use the Red Tractor standards as a baseline, with many of our products reaching far higher standards

Why have you removed the Red Tractor logo from your products?

in Why have you removed the Red Tractor logo from your products?, T&Cs and Company ValuesHome.

help.sainsburys.co.uk

Sainsburys, don't you just love them. Perfect example of someone who wants their cake and eat it!!

So they want goods produced to RT standards but they don't want to put the logo on. Bingo!!! They get all the advantages of RT goods and traceability with the costs fully passed to supplier producers. Then in a brilliant move they don't put the logo on the products so do not have to pay RT the licensing fee for use of the logo. Most polite description would be Parasites

 

[Steevo]

Sainsburys, don't you just love them. Perfect example of someone who wants their cake and eat it!!

So they want goods produced to RT standards but they don't want to put the logo on. Bingo!!! They get all the advantages of RT goods and traceability with the costs fully passed to supplier producers. Then in a brilliant move they don't put the logo on the products so do not have to pay RT the licensing fee for use of the logo. Most polite description would be Parasites

It's the best example of how useless RT is for UK produce.

Same flour could be UK RT approved one week, and then Wuhan special the following....and nobody is any the wiser.

Nobody cares about standards, least of all the person who eats the food - it's all a smoke screen.

 

[Steevo]

Crisis averted....I've found a product that is RT assured!

It's even "reassuringly cheap".

Online Food Shopping | Grocery Delivery | ASDA Groceries

Shop online at ASDA Groceries. The same great prices as in store, delivered to your door or click and collect from store.

groceries.asda.com

 

[Steevo]

See the premium it's delivering against other major players.....

 

[Doc]

So, the only people wanting RT are RT?
Why is that?