Farming industry backs major Red Tractor shake-up

Industry leaders attending this week’s Dairy-Tech event at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire all agreed that changes are needed at Red Tractor following the release of last month’s damning review of the assurance body.

The independent report, which was jointly commissioned by the NFU and AHDB, suggested a reset was needed at Red Tractor, and called into question it’s leadership.

It said: “Central to strengthening [Red Tractor] will be a board and senior executive team that recognises the scale of concern that exists and the urgency of action. We are concerned that is not the case.”

See also: Review calls for overhaul of Red Tractor leadership approach

Speaking at Dairy-Tech, NFU president Tom Bradshaw said it was absolutely crucial that farm assurance works for farming.

“I think one of the overwhelming parts of the report is that this has felt like it has been done to farming, rather than done with farming.

“We have got to get back to a place where we believe in the reasons that we’re doing it, and we believe that it adds value within our farms and within our businesses.

“The recommendations are clearly articulated for each of the individual organisations and it is down to the boards to decide how they implement the changes required to rebuild the trust from the farming industry, so that we can get behind it for the future.”

Accountable

AHDB chief executive Graham Wilkinson welcomed the findings of the report and announced that an independent person was due to be appointed shortly to carry out a six-month review to ensure each organisation involved will be held accountable, including the AHDB.

Mr Wilkinson said: “The reality is that it has to change, and it will change. It is a report that we take extremely seriously.”

The Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers chief executive Hayley Campbell-Gibbons added that Red Tractor’s challenge has always been keeping up with the times.

“Red Tractor still has to be that foundation upon which every other standard exists, it has to change.”

Change of leadership

A recruitment process is ongoing to fill the position of chair of Red Tractor, after the previous chair, Christine Tacon, stood down last year.

Mr Bradshaw said: “That appointment is going to be absolutely essential to determine how the recommendations are adopted and in place to make sure that it works for the future.”

However, there are calls by some factions within industry for a further shake-up of Red Tractor leadership.

Independent dairy analyst and commentator Chris Walkland told Farmers Weekly that Red Tractor was “disrespected, despised and discredited”, saying responsibility for that has to be with the chief executive and the board.

He added: “I don’t think the recommendations in the report will be implemented while the existing management structure is in place, and crucially, neither did the authors of the report.”