What's inside

- Goodbye to Kit Papworth and recruiting our next crops sector chair

- Supporting farmers through RED changes

Thank you Kit Papworth

Red Tractor extends its sincere thanks to Kit Papworth who has recently stepped down as Chair of the Combinable Crops & Sugar Beet Sector Board following his election as Chair of the NFU Sugar Board.

Since taking on the role in autumn 2022, Kit’s dedication, integrity and open approach to engagement, especially with crops farmers, has played a part in reinforcing the value of farm assurance and encouraging progress across the sector.

Reflecting on his departure, Kit shared:

“It is with a heavy heart that I have stepped down. I am a huge supporter of Red Tractor and will continue to champion its role in British agriculture. However, I must focus fully on my new responsibilities with NFU Sugar. The next chair will be joining a fantastic team and has a real opportunity to make a difference.”

Alistair Mackintosh, Chair of the Red Tractor Board, added:

“Kit’s contribution has been immense. He leaves with our full support and gratitude. We wish him every success in his new role and are thankful for his ongoing support as we begin the process of recruiting his successor.”

Recruitment for a new Red Tractor Combinable Crops and Sugar Beet Chair is underway.

Recruiting our next Crops Sector Chair: A transparent and inclusive process

In line with the recommendations from the Campbell Tickell governance review, the process has been carefully designed to ensure fairness, accountability, and broad representation.

Recruitment is being overseen by an independent panel drawn from members of the Combinable Crops and Sugar Beet Board and Red Tractor’s Nominations Committee. This collaborative approach ensures the process includes a balanced mix of voices from across the sector, including farmers, supply chain representatives, and independent members.

We believe that strong leadership comes from diversity of experience and clear oversight. By advertising and opening the role up through a formal, structured application and selection process, Red Tractor aims to ensure that the new chair brings not only technical understanding and industry insight, but also the ability to represent the views of a wide and varied farming base and complex supply chain.

Find out more about Red Tractor's governance

Say hello at Cereals

Red Tractor’s recently appointed Chair, Alistair Mackintosh, will be on the Red Tractor stand at Cereals 2025 on 11 June, ready to meet members to discuss the latest developments from Red Tractor.

Crops and Sugar Beet Technical Manager, Annie Rogers and the Red Tractor team will also be on hand throughout both days of the event (11–12 June) to answer questions and listen to feedback from members. We’re also part of the NRoSO Knowledge Trail, so visit our stand to learn something new and earn a CPD point!

Come and see us at the Red Tractor stand, number 236, close to the NFU and British Sugar, we look forward to welcoming you!

Not got your ticket for Cereals yet?

Good news, we’ve got a limited number of free tickets available to Red Tractor members!

If you’re planning to attend, get in touch with us at memberhelp@redtractor.org.uk to claim one.

UK cereal industry urges farmers to intensify grain storage monitoring to prevent dangerous mycotoxin spikes

Strict weekly temperature checks and monthly moisture monitoring essential to keep toxic Ochratoxin A levels within legal limits, experts warn.

Representatives from the UK cereal processor trade associations UK Flour Millers, British Oat and Barley Millers Association, Maltsters Association of Great Britain, and a leading mycotoxin expert have issued a reminder to farmers of the importance of good grain storage to mitigate production of the mycotoxin Ochratoxin A (OTA), which is toxic to human and animal health if consumed in enough quantity and for which strict legal limits are in place.

The primary cause of OTA production in grain is wet storage conditions. Its production can spike rapidly, which means legal limits can be easily exceeded. The reminder comes as a result of industry monitoring, which found that while diligent storage by most farmers is effective at controlling OTA, there are instances where it has been found at high levels, even on farms that have made investment in high quality storage infrastructure. If legal limits are exceeded the grain should not be sold into the food market to avoid costly product withdrawals and recalls.

The potential for rapid spikes in OTA production means it is important to monitor stored grain temperature at least weekly and moisture at least monthly, in line with the recommended frequencies within the AHDB Grain Storage Guide.

It is particularly important to monitor grain moisture and temperature. Laboratory experiments highlighted a potential for a spike OTA occurrence in a period of less than 4 days. As the exact time needed for OTA accumulation in grain remains unclear, it is vital to measure regularly to prevent such contamination.”

Dr Carol Verheecke-Vaessen, Senior Lecturer in Applied Molecular Mycology at Cranfield University

Managing the ergot risk

Ergot (Claviceps purpurea) remains a significant concern for arable growers due to its toxic impact on the food and feed chain.

The presence of ergot alkaloids fungus in grain can pose serious health risks, and as a result, most processors will reject contaminated loads. While post-harvest cleaning can physically remove the visible sclerotia (ergot bodies), it comes at a cost, typically borne by the grower, and is not always fully effective in eliminating the associated toxins.

The challenges of ergot management span the entire crop production cycle.

Tolerance of ergot in seed, a lack of approved agronomic treatments, and wider industry shifts, such as increased adoption of minimum tillage, direct drilling, and the use of wildflower margins, can all contribute to the persistence of ergot, particularly from grass hosts. Unpredictable weather further complicates control efforts.

To address this, Red Tractor has been actively involved in the Ergot Working Group, which is collaborating with AHDB to revise and improve current guidance. This work is now underway, following a decision by the group last year to commission the AHDB to lead the review.

This work is intended to equip the industry with clearer, more practical guidance on how to manage ergot risk effectively. Red Tractor will continue to engage in this process and will share updates as the review progresses.

The objectives of the Ergot working group, led by AHDB are to:

Collate information from both academic and non-academic ("grey") sources.

Consult with a wide range of industry stakeholders, including members of the Ergot Working Group.

Update and reissue the official AHDB guidance on ergot management.

Produce an ergot identification chart to assist growers in the field.

Identify gaps in current knowledge and recommend areas for future research.

Supporting farmers through renewable energy regulation changes

For the past decade, Red Tractor has been recognised by the European Commission as a Voluntary Scheme (VS) which assures crops and sugar beet through compliance with the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED). By being a Red Tractor farmer, you gain certification under the RED as part of your annual assessment, avoiding the need for a costly and time-consuming audit that could cost up to £1,500. This streamlined process allows you to access the European biofuels market.

Challenges with the RED and NUTS2 Codes

The current European Commission interpretation of the RED (Renewable Energy Directive) presents significant hurdles for UK farmers. Central to RED compliance are the NUTS2 codes, which assign greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions values to crops. These codes require approval from the European Commission. However, due to the Commission’s current prioritisation of Member State submissions, no NUTS2 codes for UK feedstocks have been approved. This lack of approval has severely restricted UK growers' access to the whole biofuels market

Government Delays over the past 12 months and Red Tractor’s Advocacy

The Department for Transport (DfT) is responsible for recalculating and submitting the UK’s NUTS2 values. Unfortunately, ongoing delays in this process have put UK farmers at a competitive disadvantage, while growers in other countries move forward with compliance.

Red Tractor, alongside industry bodies such as the National Farmers' Union (NFU) and the Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC), has been actively engaging with government officials to highlight the urgency of this issue and press for immediate action.

Accreditation challenges in a post-Brexit environment.

Accreditation has become another hurdle, as the UK’s exit from the EU has led to recognition issues for UKAS, the UK’s accreditation body, which is necessary for RED-approved schemes. This situation not only affects Red Tractor’s certification process but is also a broader issue impacting various voluntary schemes globally. While stakeholder discussions are ongoing, Red Tractor has worked with UKAS closely to find an alternative solution to ensure compliance, such as exploring dual accreditation options. However, this path comes with its own challenges, including substantial costs and potential duplication of efforts

Union Database (UDB): Ensuring biofuel compliance

The UDB was developed to enhance traceability and combat fraud within the biofuels sector. Red Tractor has collaborated with the UDB provider to enable UK growers to register their biofuel transactions, offering a significant advantage over non-registered counterparts. However, legal disputes regarding the UDB’s implementation across various EU Member States have created resistance and uncertainty around its current use.

Our ongoing commitment to farmers

Red Tractor remains steadfast in its commitment to representing UK farmers. We continue to advocate for transparent processes and collaborative solutions to emerging regulatory challenges.

In December 2024, our efforts were recognised when the European Commission granted Red Tractor recognition under RED III.

In the same month, we also received approval under the UK's Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), reinforcing our credibility on both domestic and European fronts.

Despite the evolving regulatory landscape, Red Tractor will continue to support and inform our members, ensuring your concerns are heard and your interests protected.

Take control and save time with the Red Tractor Portal

The Red Tractor Portal: Your smarter way to manage compliance, reduce audit stress, and cut down paperwork

Are you making the most of the Red Tractor Portal? If not, now is the time to start.

Our online portal is more than just a digital tool, it’s your key to making farm assurance easier, quicker, and more efficient.

Designed with members in mind, the portal gives you one central place to manage your compliance, upload documents, track your progress, and prepare for assessments.

We know that paperwork and on-farm assessments can be time-consuming and disruptive.

That’s why we’ve invested in developing the portal to help reduce those pressures.

It’s a core part of our commitment following the Farm Assurance Review, and it’s already delivering real benefits.

Here’s what you can do with the portal:

Upload documents in advance so your assessor can review them before visiting
Track outstanding requirements so you’re never caught off guard
Store records securely, all in one place
Receive notifications and updates so you stay on top of changes
Reduce audit times by being well-prepared in advance
Cut down paperwork and admin, freeing up more time for the work that matters

Why using the Portal it matters

If documents are uploaded 48 hours before the assessment, assessors are encouraged to review documents on the portal prior to visiting the farm.

This enables the time spent on-site to be more effectively dedicated to examining the physical aspects of the business and carrying out audit trails.

By reviewing various policies and actions in advance, the assessor can gather important details beforehand, allowing for more focused and relevant discussions during the farm visit, tailored specifically to your business practices.

There are certain documents, such as ‘live documents’, that the assessor will still need to review during the visit, as they are integral to the audit trails being conducted.

However, many static records and policies can be shared in advance through the portal. you making the most of the Red Tractor Portal? If not, now is the time to start.

I believe the Red Tractor portal provides a real opportunity for farmers and assessors to collaborate more effectively, making the process more flexible and time efficient. By allowing farmers and growers to upload documents in advance, the portal helps spread the audit workload, reducing the pressure on the farmer of having to complete everything during the on-farm visit.

This not only saves valuable time but also streamlines the process, making audits smoother and more manageable. The more farmers and assessors make use of the portal, the greater the benefit - less time spent on paperwork, fewer disruptions on the farm, and a more efficient system overall.

I see this as a great step forward in easing the burden on producers, and I would encourage everyone to make the most of it!”

Fiona Priestley, a NSF assessor conducting Red Tractor assessments

If you haven’t started using the Portal yet, now is the perfect time to start! Signing up is simple - just visit our website to get started.

We offer written and video guides, covering registration and document uploads. You can also reach the Red Tractor team at 020 7630 3320 for help.

PDF passports and stickers – making it easier for you

Just a quick reminder: Red Tractor doesn’t send out stickers - these come from your certification body (either NSF or Intertek SAI Global), so please contact them directly if you need more.

But here’s the good news…

You don’t need to use stickers on your grain passports anymore!

Our handy online system lets you create, download, and print your grain passport from home. It automatically fills in your up-to-date assurance details, right where the stickers would normally go.

Even better, buyers can see your assurance is valid because everything is checked at the time you download it.