On The Road
Next gen talk at Harper Adams || RT Dairy Chair honoured at Royal Welsh Show || Promoting RT standards to international buyers and DEFRA Secretary at Great Yorkshire Show
At the Royal Welsh Show last week, the Red Tractor team had the opportunity to engage with farmers, stakeholders, retailers, and industry professionals.
Among the attendees, Tim Lock, Chair of the Red Tractor Dairy Sector Board, received a pleasant surprise when he was presented with a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from Marks & Spencer. Tim's remarkable journey in the industry included his significant contribution as the former chair of the M&S National Milk pool. The award recognises his significant standing and influence on the sector and his strong leadership qualities.
Throughout his tenure, M&S explained that Tim always displayed a fair and consistent negotiating approach, effectively representing farmers and as such he instilled a sense of belonging and camaraderie among the dairy farmers supplying them. The award was presented by Steve Mclean, Head of Agriculture & Fisheries at M&S, who commended Tim for his exceptional achievements and praised him for a “job well done”.
Read more about Tim Lock, M&S Lifetime Achievement Award winner.
At the Great Yorkshire Show earlier this month, Alistair Macintosh, Vice Chair of Red Tractor, took the opportunity to discuss the state of the farming industry with the NFU and with Therese Coffey, DEFRA Secretary. They covered various topics, including the importance of Red Tractor standards for consumers and the considerable benefits of earned recognition arrangements for farmers.
Also at the Great Yorkshire Show, Red Tractor’s Head of Operations Philippa Wiltshire was delighted to speak to international red meat buyers from Asia, the Middle East, and North America. In the UK to discover more about sustainable beef, lamb, and pork production and to examine potential new business opportunities Philippa explained all about Red Tractor standards and our independent inspection regime.
Last year the value of UK red meat exports hit record levels at £1.7 billion and global meat consumption is expected to grow next year.
There is a growing global appetite for our high-quality produce, and Red Tractor can help other agencies maximise the opportunities for UK beef, lamb and pork with our high-welfare, environmentally sustainable, traceable food production standards.
Philippa Wiltshire, Red Tractor Head of Operations, on value of standards for international markets:
Red Tractor’s Scheme Member Manager, Debbie Smith spoke to students at Harper Adams University earlier this month. Engagement of this kind is a crucial aspect of our efforts to enhance awareness about Red Tractor's role in reinforcing consumer trust in British food.
Moreover, it aims to foster appreciation for food assurance among the next generation of farmers and workers in the industry as they step into their future careers in agriculture.
Crops and Sugar Beet Technical Manager Annie Rogers had a productive visit to Scotland’s premier arable event Arable Scotland early in the month.
In case you missed it, Livestock Transport members were provided with a technical briefing this month amid animal rights activism.
Read more about it here.
