The Red Tractor ACCS referendum

[Wheatseeker]

This all needs tying together with what is on the packaging on the supermarket shelves. We need to reclaim that message as it is this part that has been undermined. British produce should have a union jack on it. Not the stuff produced abroad and processed here that somehow miraculously changes origin to British. Then have a gold box around the flag for anything we produce to our current high standards. I could understand that and so could the consumer. At a glance they would know.
It would highlight all the fake farm brands produced abroad, and might make processors think twice about the origin of their ingredients as it would be highly transparent to consumers.

 

[dontknowanything]

As I understand it Weetabix have their own growers group so they can determine standards themselves, which are probably greater than RT and would exist with or without RT.

IIRC the only stipulation for Weetabix was that your farm office had to be within 50 miles of the Weetabix factory.

 

[Longneck]

IIRC the only stipulation for Weetabix was that your farm office had to be within 50 miles of the Weetabix factory.

Must have a CS agreement as well.

Weetabix growers club - Agri

Formed in 2010 to supply Weetabix with wheat from within a 50 mile radius of their Burton Latimer factory Formed in 2010 to supply Weetabix with wheat

adm-agri.co.uk

 

[dontknowanything]

Must have a CS agreement as well.

Weetabix growers club - Agri

Formed in 2010 to supply Weetabix with wheat from within a 50 mile radius of their Burton Latimer factory Formed in 2010 to supply Weetabix with wheat

adm-agri.co.uk

That’s new since I did it, probably 8 years ago

 

[mountfarm]

Had my RT on Monday and our sprayers MOT went out in mid January. The test is booked in but delayed due to COVID as the tester we use was off for 2 lots of 2 weeks in December in isolation, so he’s a month behind basically.
We were given 4 weeks to sort it out otherwise we get struck off the scheme. I stood my ground saying it’ll be done when the tester gets to us.
They don’t seem to understand what a pandemic is or what it’s meant to business’s. I called the office to be told the same thing.

 

[steveR]

Had my RT on Monday and our sprayers MOT went out in mid January. The test is booked in but delayed due to COVID as the tester we use was off for 2 lots of 2 weeks in December in isolation, so he’s a month behind basically.
We were given 4 weeks to sort it out otherwise we get struck off the scheme. I stood my ground saying it’ll be done when the tester gets to us.
They don’t seem to understand what a pandemic is or what it’s meant to business’s. I called the office to be told the same thing.

That is quite shocking.

Would they put that in writing, and their explanation for that bizarre decision? I wonder....?

 

[Sid]

Had my RT on Monday and our sprayers MOT went out in mid January. The test is booked in but delayed due to COVID as the tester we use was off for 2 lots of 2 weeks in December in isolation, so he’s a month behind basically.
We were given 4 weeks to sort it out otherwise we get struck off the scheme. I stood my ground saying it’ll be done when the tester gets to us.
They don’t seem to understand what a pandemic is or what it’s meant to business’s. I called the office to be told the same thing.

Paper trail
Sell the sprayer, on paper, to your dog, grandchild, Auntie Joan, Boris Johnson, even better Jim Moseley.
Then claim it back the day of the test as invoice unpaid.
Bingo you passed!

 

[mountfarm]

Paper trail
Sell the sprayer, on paper, to your dog, grandchild, Auntie Joan, Boris Johnson, even better Jim Moseley.
Then claim it back the day of the test as invoice unpaid.
Bingo you passed!

Ah yes but do that then I’d need to give them all the nroso, mot, maintenance records of the contractor that would be doing the work even though there was no contractor.

 

[Drillman]

Ah yes but do that then I’d need to give them all the nroso, mot, maintenance records of the contractor that would be doing the work even though there was no contractor.

Tell em you decided to convert to organic...

 

[mountfarm]

Tell em you decided to convert to organic...

Different standards again?

 

[Drillman]

Different standards again?

Not if you don’t apply to be officially organic there isn’t

 

[mountfarm]

Not if you don’t apply to be officially organic there isn’t

I said to my inspector did he realise farmers don’t want RT anymore as it’s a con and he should look at this website. His reply was he knew all about it already and he was just doing his job as instructed.

 

[Drillman]

I said to my inspector did he realise farmers don’t want RT anymore as it’s a con and he should look at this website. His reply was he knew all about it already and he was just doing his job as instructed.

The inspectors are just the hired help, some are ok, some are little hitlers, I have told one hitler he was banned off the farm and refused to sign paperwork for another as he was been petty about nothing.

As for the sprayer not been tested, well I would email the office back and point out government quidance on COVID and also point out that RT doesn’t have the power to override such rules and that the sprayer will be tested as soon as is practical (bearing in mind you don’t want the current tester to lose work in these hard times thru no fault of his own) and if it’s a problem they should be able to come up with a workable solution.

Or in simple english tell them to Feck off and it will get tested when you can get it tested and if they don’t like it, tough......

 

[Steevo]

The mad thing is that tested now or in two weeks time, the sprayer won't actually be doing any spraying anyway before it actually gets a chance to be tested.

 

[steveR]

The mad thing is that tested now or in two weeks time, the sprayer won't actually be doing any spraying anyway before it actually gets a chance to be tested.

This, The coomonsense approach would be to say it must be tested BEFORE use. Spray records will confirm spraying dates so not an issue, surely?

 

[Fuzzy]

As I understand it Weetabix have their own growers group so they can determine standards themselves, which are probably greater than RT and would exist with or without RT.

What about the imported wheat they use ???

 

[An Gof]

I have been thinking today and feel we have another very important point to make.
People like @Clive and @dontknowanything have highlighted the absurdity of millers demanding home produced UK wheat to commingle with imported wheat that does not carry RT assurance. There is a growing acceptance that this is wrong and deceitful. Some are talking about an 85% system “Australian method” to get around this just to keep us in our place on RT

But think how much worse it is with mills and animal feed. Why does all the grain into a fees mill require to be RT assured when it is mixed with a variety of other ingredients, much of which is imported, that carries no similar assurance?
It’s even worse with feed grains as the % of assured grain is most likely VERY much less than 85% and in some cases may be as low as 10%.
Another clear example as the stupidity and irrelevance of RT. Perhaps you would care to give us your thoughts on this @Guy Smith as you have shown you appreciate the milling wheat dilemma.

 

[Fuzzy]

Had my RT on Monday and our sprayers MOT went out in mid January. The test is booked in but delayed due to COVID as the tester we use was off for 2 lots of 2 weeks in December in isolation, so he’s a month behind basically.
We were given 4 weeks to sort it out otherwise we get struck off the scheme. I stood my ground saying it’ll be done when the tester gets to us.
They don’t seem to understand what a pandemic is or what it’s meant to business’s. I called the office to be told the same thing.

Basically there is no system for the Inspector to act on your behalf.
I had a failure due to lack of Moisture meter calibration, i was told 4 weeks to sort it or if you are unable to do so you must contact us in writing with reasons for delay, within the 4 weeks peiod. I understood an extension would then be given, to give me time to comply.

 

[Clive]

I have been thinking today and feel we have another very important point to make.
People like @Clive and @dontknowanything have highlighted the absurdity of millers demanding home produced UK wheat to commingle with imported wheat that does not carry RT assurance. There is a growing acceptance that this is wrong and deceitful. Some are talking about an 85% system “Australian method” to get around this just to keep us in our place on RT

But think how much worse it is with mills and animal feed. Why does all the grain into a fees mill require to be RT assured when it is mixed with a variety of other ingredients, much of which is imported, that carries no similar assurance?
It’s even worse with feed grains as the % of assured grain is most likely VERY much less than 85% and in some cases may be as low as 10%.
Another clear example as the stupidity and irrelevance of RT. Perhaps you would care to give us your thoughts on this @Guy Smith as you have shown you appreciate the milling wheat dilemma.

listening to Guy and David on farming today what is clear is that Guy is completely missing the point

he is not going to force bakers etc to use RT only produce, they have already said they see no value in the brand so why on earth would they. Import standards are not going to change either, no hope ! Red Tractor has no leverage over these companies and certainly no influence over countries ! . If warburtons, hovis etc saw added value in the rt brand they would be using it already

he is proposing that RT step up marketing ( clue to what the consultation will say !) and going to use that to justify massive cost increases - Asking a cereal grower to pay more for marketing a brand that has a 20 yr track record of failure is utterly ridiculous but it’s clear this is the master plan

Lots going on in the background, a few TFF members are trauling though the legality of all this and it’s looking a lot like it maybe worth engagIng a good competition lawyer on this, When we find the right person we will set up a crowd funder

this could be UK Agricultures “PPI” the pigs with their nose in the trough will be made to pay if they have acted legally

are there any members here with any legal experience ? I’m sure some have mentioned in that past they have ?

 

[Clive]

Basically there is no system for the Inspector to act on your behalf.
I had a failure due to lack of Moisture meter calibration, i was told 4 weeks to sort it or if you are unable to do so you must contact us in writing with reasons for delay, within the 4 weeks peiod. I understood an extension would then be given, to give me time to comply.

the calibration of your moisture meter matters not at all to a consumer

it’s between you and the mill to deliver the moisture they want, what possible importance is it to anyone else