Member Matters: October 2025 - Member Matters

Member Matters:
October 2025

All the latest from Red Tractor

Your latest update from the Red Tractor teamContents

Thank you for reading

Member Matters - October 2025

Dear Members,

Welcome to the October 2025 edition of Member Matters.

Red Tractor has been working hard to deliver the changes we’ve committed to. Updates from this month include:

Promoting your food

Our new “With You For 25 Years” consumer campaign, which is currently showing on video-on-demand, radio and in store, will go live on mainstream TV on 20 October. The campaign is expected to reach 93% of UK primary shoppers, making it our biggest yet.

With You For 25 Years - Red Tractor's new advertising campaign

Opening up overseas markets

Representatives from all protein sectors have expressed an interest in exploring new opportunities for assurance to support export initiatives. We have identified opportunities for chicken and dairy in the UAE and for pork in California.

Farmer wellbeing

John Pain, Red Tractor’s newly appointed Vice Chair is responsible for ensuring the wellbeing of farmers is incorporated into Red Tractor’s decision making. He’s begun this work by consulting organisations such as RABI and FCN.

Portal and data improvements

Significant progress is being made on remote evidence-sharing for audits. Features being developed include uploading geo‑tagged photos to the Red Tractor Members Portal and working with farm‑software providers so they supply audit‑compliant data and assessors can access it.

Sector strategy development

Sector Boards are agreeing priorities for reviewing and evolving Red Tractor’s standards. The strategies aim to ensure Red Tractor’s requirements remain relevant, while also being practical and deliverable by farmers, taking onboard feedback. There will be an opportunity for you to share your input later in the year.

Delivering the Farm Assurance Review

Red Tractor responded in full to the commissioner’s interim survey, reporting progress against recommendations made by the Farm Assurance Review. We are convening a meeting of assurance schemes on 16 October to address shared challenges. Read the latest progress report on how Red Tractor is delivering the Farm Assurance Review

Jim Moseley’s plans for retirement

Jim Moseley, Chief Executive of Red Tractor has decided to step back from full‑time work and will retire in April 2026. On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Jim for his unrelenting support of British food production.

If there’s anything in this update that you’d like to learn more about, please don’t hesitate to reach out to myself or the Red Tractor team.

Kind regards,

Alistair Mackintosh, Red Tractor Chair

Read the full update from the September Board meeting

Watch: Red Tractor CEO Jim Moseley reflects on his time leading the organisation

How are Red Tractor Standards set?

One of the most common questions we hear from our members is: “How exactly are the standards set?”

It’s a fair and important question, and one that can sometimes spark debate.

To provide a clear answer, we have published a new policy detailing how standards are developed, reviewed and agreed. The policy explains the principles we follow, the role of stakeholders, and the steps involved in decision-making.

Our aim is to give members and stakeholders a full understanding of the process and to demonstrate our commitment to openness.

Read the full policy: How we set standards

Red Tractor Member Events – Book your spot!

Red Tractor will be in Exeter, York, Staffordshire and Bedfordshire at the end of October.

You’re invited to join us for an open discussion and to learn more about our plans. Your input will help shape future changes to Red Tractor standards, ensuring the scheme continues to deliver value for members while protecting the reputation of British food and farming.

We’re planning to visit more areas across the UK in the future. Want us to visit your region? Let us know!

Exeter - Monday 27 October

Staffordshire - Tuesday 28 October

Biggleswade - Wednesday 29 October

York - Thursday 30 October

Celebrating 25 years at the Farmers Weekly Awards

Red Tractor’s new Vice Chair, John Pain was delighted to host six Red Tractor members at the 2025 Farmers Weekly Awards. It was a brilliant opportunity to celebrate 25 years of Red Tractor assurance at an event which recognises the best of British Farming.

Red Tractor sponsored the Mixed Farmer of the Year Award in recognition of the hard work and dedication of all Red Tractor assured farmers, growers and licensed food businesses.

Congratulations to Ashley Jones of Smeaton Farm, Cornwall, who won the Award as well as Farmer of the Year. Ashley’s innovative, sustainable approach and community spirit make him a shining example of modern farming.

Our new advert: why does it matter?

From 20th October, Red Tractor’s new TV advert will be live across ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky. The advert is central to our ‘With You For 25 Years’ campaign.

The animated advert follows a British family over 25 years of mealtimes, spotlighting how the Red Tractor logo has been a symbol of safe, traceable and responsibly produced food throughout that time.

A great advert must be noticed, have cut through and be memorable. Our approach, proven through consumer research, definitely cuts through, is highly memorable and most importantly is liked amongst our key shoppers more than many of the more typical or conventional agriculture-based adverts.

By depicting relatable family moments, we are creating an emotional connection with consumers, reminding them of the value of choosing Red Tractor and the reassurance it brings. This strengthens not only their recognition of the scheme, but also their appreciation of the British farmers working daily to uphold world-leading standards in food and drink.

We’ve evolved our existing stop-motion animation style into a new computer generated imagery (CGI) format. This change has enabled us to modernise our visual style and deliver more dynamic and emotive storytelling in a cost-effective way. The new format also allows us to more easily utilise the characters and environments we have created across other channels including in-store marketing and social media.

Alongside the new TV advert, we’ve been rolling out a targeted consumer PR campaign. We have engaged with social content creators and asked them to spotlight the nostalgic recipes that have been passed down through their families. This wholesome, family-focused content works hand-in-hand with the new advert in connecting with our consumers on a more emotional level.

Head over to our Instagram page @redtractorfood to see the content, and stay tuned for more 25-year content landing in the press and across our digital channels.

How does Red Tractor protect the logo?

Red Tractor's Senior Licensing Manager, Joanna King explains the label is more than just a logo, it’s a symbol of trust, integrity and world-leading standards in British food production.

Recognised by 75% UK shoppers, the Red Tractor logo assures consumers that the food they buy meets rigorous standards in food safety, animal welfare and traceability. To preserve this trust, Red Tractor enforces strict rules around logo usage and use of our claim terminology (“RT”, “RTA”, “RT Assured”, “Red Tractor”, “Red Tractor Assured”) to protect our brand integrity.

Why logo protection matters: When consumers see the Red Tractor logo, they expect the product to be British, fully traceable and produced to high standards. Any misuse of the logo risks undermining this trust and the reputation of British farming.

Trademark protection: The Red Tractor logos (Red Tractor©, Red Tractor Assured©, Red Tractor Assurance©, Red Tractor Certified Standards©) are registered trademarks, meaning only licensed and approved users may access and use them.

All logo designs on product packaging and menus must be submitted for approval prior to printing to the Red Tractor Supply Chain Assurance Team to ensure accurate logo use by our licensees.

Enforcement and accountability:  As part of our Traceability Challenge Programme, Red Tractor actively monitors logo usage and terminology claims (e.g “Red Tractor”) and takes enforcement action when necessary. Misuse of the logo whether intentional or accidental can result in sanctions for the licensee and negatively impacts Red Tractor’s reputation.

A shared responsibility: Every Red Tractor licensee plays a role in safeguarding the logo. By using it accurately, licensees reinforce the high standards that define British farming and maintain consumer confidence in assured food. 

Watch a video about Red Tractor’s Traceability Challenge Programme

Strict usage rules:

British only: Only food businesses licensed by Red Tractor are able to use our logos and make a Red Tractor claim. Our licensees range from the smallest entrepreneurial food producers and the largest processors and packers, to the most iconic British household brands and global food service providers.

Must be licensed: All Red Tractor licensees must be technically approved to hold a licence. This approval is critical to our whole chain assurance approach, ensuring the British supply chain is meeting the standards required at each key stage in the process.

Wide-ranging criteria: Red Tractor has robust criteria and terms & conditions in place, through our licensing process and our traceability challenge programme.

These ensure that claims, including logo use, on products, websites, menus, marketing materials, paperwork and in any communication to promote Red Tractor products are accurate and are only made on or is association with eligible products.

Why Don’t You Muck Off?

Keeping trucks clean, keeping pigs safe

Everyone in the supply chain plays a vital role in keeping the pig industry safe from disease. One of the greatest threats comes from contaminated vehicles.

Dirty lorries can carry pathogens like swine dysentery, and if African swine fever ever reached the UK, the stakes would be even higher.

That’s why the industry-led Muck Free Truck campaign reinforces the vital role clean transport plays in protecting the pig industry, calling on everyone in the supply chain to take ownership, recognising that one dirty truck can put the entire sector at risk.

For farmers, turning away a dirty lorry may feel inconvenient, but the alternative could be catastrophic. For truck drivers, thorough lorry washing and strict personal hygiene protocols such as handwashing, changing into clean overalls and boots, aren’t optional – they’re essential.

For abattoirs, who are uniquely positioned to enforce cleanliness protocols, providing accessible facilities helps hauliers adhere to best-practice cleaning and disinfection of their lorries.

Red Tractor pig farmers:

Inspect arriving lorries for cleanliness, be ready to refuse entry if there is visible manure, bedding or other organic matter, citing your own biosecurity policy.
Require all visitors and hauliers to comply with your clothing, footwear, and hygiene rules.
Document your biosecurity expectations in your farm’s written biosecurity policy.

By making sure your protocols and policies are fully implemented by everyone who comes onto the farm you’re demonstrating compliance with Red Tractor standards that will protect both your business and the wider pig industry.

Livestock transport members:

Clean and disinfect vehicles thoroughly before entering farms. Even if you aren’t required to go beyond the biosecure perimeter, your vehicle must not bring disease onsite.

Adhere to farm requirements on clothing, footwear, and hygiene when entering biosecure zones.
Make sure you wash and disinfect before you leave the pig drop off site. Maintaining clean and well-maintained equipment is essential.

Every clean truck keeps our pigs, our farms and our industry safe. Do your part.

Visit muckfreetruck.com to learn more.