“It should be better than this”: Farm assurance review published

A “fundamental reset” of UK farm assurance is needed to rebuild confidence among farmers, an independent review has found.

Among its nine recommendations, the review said Red Tractor must complete the implementation of recommendations in the Campbell Tickell report on its governance.

It also calls for audits to be reduced and simplified; and for farmers to be the driving voice in standards development.

The first UK-wide, comprehensive review of farm assurance, established by the UK farming unions and AHDB was announced early last year and has published its long-awaited findings today (20th January). 

The review of UK farm assurance in general, was launched after Red Tractor faced significant backlash against its plans to introduce a Greener Farms Commitment, which was subsequently axed.

Growing frustration

Conducted independently by four commissioners, the review concludes that farm assurance is critical to the industry’s future, and is delivering necessary assurances on quality to consumers.

However, it must make some fundamental changes to address growing frustration amongst farmers in how it is delivered. 

The nine-month review collected evidence from every link in the UK food supply chain. 

Commissioners say the dissatisfaction expressed by farmers was not uniform across all sectors nor across all nations.

Assurance schemes in devolved areas were reported to work more effectively than UK-wide schemes. 

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The recommendations 

There are nine strategic recommendations in the report: 

1. On-farm audits must be reduced, simplified and delivered more consistently
2. There must be a transformational step forward in embracing technology
3. Schemes need to reset and/or restate their structures to establish farmers as the driving voice in standards development
4. A new industry-led initiative must set out the future environmental ambitions for farm assurance
5. The inclusion of regulatory requirements within farm assurance should be conditional on government agreeing a form of ‘earned recognition’
6. There must be greater collaboration between farm assurance schemes across the UK
7. Schemes must better position the UK farming industry in world food markets and in competition with imported food
8. All schemes must review and improve their communication with farmers 
9. The Red Tractor scheme must complete the implementation of recommendations in the Campbell Tickell report on its governance. 

Within these nine strategic recommendations, a total of 56 operational recommendations have also been made, with clear lead bodies and timescales. 

‘Make or break’ audits 

The review urged governments across the UK to take a more structured and active approach to the interaction between assurance schemes and regulation.

Commenting on the report, lead commissioner, Dr David Llewellyn, said the research had found “competing interests and ambitions” for the farm assurance system, which has added “complexity and stress for farmers, many of whom now struggle to identify any real benefits to their business”. 

Additionally, many farmers feel they live in a permanent state of jeopardy with “make or break” audits determining whether their businesses can operate.

“The reality is that too many farmers feel farm assurance is ‘done to them’ rather than ‘delivered with them’. It should be better than this,” he added.

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“Our recommendations will be challenging”

The farmers commissioners consulted with want to produce food to the highest standards and be supported by assurance schemes. But they also want to be compensated appropriately for the considerable effort farm assurance requires of them.  

Dr Llewellyn stressed that the system is essential but must deliver to all parts of the food chain, which includes contributing to a process of continuous farming improvement.

This is something the current assurance system does not always provide, he noted.

Dr Llewellyn concluded: “Many of our recommendations will be challenging. They are about changes to organisational cultures and expectations, as much as they are about processes. 

“But we view them as integral to building a farm assurance system that is trusted, successful and underpins a profitable future for UK farming.” 

Red Tractor’s response

Responding to the review, the Red Tractor Board said: “We welcome the publication of the conclusions and recommendations from the farm assurance review today.

“From its inception, Red Tractor was set up to include most key farm sectors and all main actors in the supply chain, from farms to fork. 

“For this reason, it is extremely important that before responding, we – the Red Tractor Board – have time to fully digest and discuss the meaning of the review findings internally. 

“Ideally, we would also include feedback from our Sector Boards that meet in February and include representatives from every stage of the food chain.

“We will now take that time and respond in due course, and ask that Red Tractor is allowed the space to fully consider the outcome of this important independent review, the first of its kind in 30 years of farm assurance.”

Significant step forward 

AHDB said the report marks a significant step forward for farm assurance, and said it is optimistic about the opportunities it presents for meaningful change.

It expressed gratitude to the four commissioners and Promar International, adding:

“Their wide-ranging consultations across the industry and their ability to bring together the complex strands of farm assurance into a clear and meticulously considered report are commendable.”

NFU also welcomed the findings and both organisations will now spend time analysing the detail.

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