Chairman's update

Your latest update from Alistair Mackintosh, Red Tractor Chair

Dear Members,

Welcome to the July 2025 edition of Member Matters.

Dear Member

Welcome to the July edition of Member Matters. With harvest well underway, I hope you find a moment to pause to read about the progress we’re making to ensure Red Tractor assurance remains fit for the future.

During June, all six of the Red Tractor Sector Boards – made up of independent representatives from across the supply chain, including many farmers and growers – met to agree a path forward for identifying changes to Red Tractor’s requirements. Taking onboard their feedback, Red Tractor is now developing sector-specific strategies to deliver the changes you’ve asked for. Simon Thorpe, Senior Technical Manager, explains more on page 7.

We’re also pushing ahead with wider operational improvements such as changes to the Member Portal and opportunities for joint-assessments. In the pigs sector, at the industry’s request, we’re moving ahead with an outdoor-focused module and labelling. And in Fresh Produce, we’re working with the Fresh Produce Consortium to map opportunities to reduce audit burden. You can read about this progress and more in our latest update on delivering our commitments to the Farm Assurance Review.

On the wider agenda, we’re actively championing British farmers and growers, making the case for government, retailers, brands and consumers to back British. The high standards of British production, upheld by the Red Tractor logo, must be recognised and supported in trade negotiations and the UK Government’s Food Strategy.

As we mark 25-years of the Red Tractor logo, we want to say thank you to assured farmers and producers by recognising your efforts. We’re proud to sponsor the Mixed Farmer of the Year Awards at the upcoming Farmers Weekly Awards – one of the most prestigious occasions in the farming calendar. We would love it if you could join us there. Find details of how entre a draw to win tickets on our webiste.

As ever, thank you for your ongoing commitment to ensuring confidence in British farming.

Alistair Mackintosh

Chairman of Red Tractor

Farm Assurance Review progress update

Red Tractor has committed to regularly updating members on the scheme's progress against the recommendations assigned to Red Tractor in the Farm Assurance Review.

Read our progress report below and on the Red Tractor website. 

Click to view PDF