Consultancy appointed to carry out Red Tractor review

Specialist consultancy Campbell Tickell has been appointed by the NFU to carry out a review into the governance of Red Tractor.

The announcement was made after a row broke out over the independence of the review, which is to be led by the Red Tractor Ownership Board (OB).

See also: Latest chapter in Red Tractor saga is baffling

The OB approved terms of reference for the review, set by the NFU, which itself sits on the board alongside NFU Scotland, the Ulster Farmers’ Union, the British Retail Consortium and Dairy UK.

In a statement, the NFU said the OB would “own the findings”, as it is the only body capable of implementing them.

But the union could not say whether the OB would commit to implementing the findings, as it is only one organisation on the board.

The review will establish Red Tractor’s decision-making procedures and its transparency, examine who is consulted by Red Tractor in its development of standards, and look at how Red Tractor engages with stakeholders.

A statement by the NFU said: “Having examined the effectiveness of these processes, the review will identify any obstacles which need addressing.

“Through interviews and survey work, the review team will speak to a cross-section of those involved across the Red Tractor process, including farmer representatives, to determine how those processes work currently.”

‘Little faith’

But the British Farming Union, which was credited with getting AHDB to hold its own investigation into cereals assurance, said it had “little faith” in the review.

A spokesperson added: “What, if any, value does being in the Red Tractor scheme return to the paying members?

“If it can’t answer that basic question in the positive, then all the others are irrelevant and pointless.”

The Association of Independent Meat Suppliers said it believed the scope of the review covered the right areas.

But a spokesperson added there was concern about the Red Tractor OB “owning the findings”.

“If ownership means deciding what will be recommended and what will be brushed under the carpet prior to publication, then many in the farming and processing sector will feel betrayed,” they said.

“We ask that full transparency is guaranteed and that a further independent body be engaged to ensure it is delivered.”