Dear Member,
I am writing to update you on the recent Fresh Produce Sector Board meeting, which took place on 24th June 2025.
The Sector Board acknowledged from the outset the ongoing challenges in the fresh produce sector, particularly around mitigating microbiological challenges within leafy salads and potential irrigation water availability across the sector – it was also noted that good temperatures and light levels has meant an excellent start to the UK berry season.
Reducing audit burden
A workstream associated with reducing audit burden has been established which sees Red Tractor working in collaboration with the Fresh Produce Consortium. This workstream is currently working to map the audit requirements across the grower base for each customer e.g. retailer or brand. In addition, an external agency is being commissioned to survey the Red Tractor assured grower base in order to gain a better understanding of exactly what is meant by audit burden. Please keep an eye out for further communication in due course to find out how to take part.
Collectively this background work will be used to identify opportunities for collaboration between schemes and/or customer requirements with the aim of reducing audit burden across the sector.
Developing a strategy for the Red Tractor fresh produce sector
Work is underway to draft a fresh produce sector-specific strategy to guide the future direction of standards development. The Fresh Produce Sector Board indicated its preference for focusing on ‘process’ first to identify the best opportunities for streamlining assessment delivery.
Sector Board members are contributing directly to this process, with a focus on the following core themes:
- Audit burden: As discussed above, reducing the audit burden on growers is the priority within the sector.
- Horizon scanning: The Red Tractor Fresh Produce Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) recently met and carried out a horizon scanning exercise to identify areas for future focus which included audit burden, food safety, and pesticide regulation.
- Food safety risk management: A review of crop category classification is to be initiated to ensure that standards are appropriate for each crop type. In addition, Red Tractor has been invited to by the British Leafy Salads Association (BLSA) and the Chilled Foods Association (CFA) to develop a module with the aim of further improving the food safety standards in salad crops.
Progress on Farm Assurance Review (FAR) recommendations
The Board also received an update on progress against FAR recommendations and acknowledged that considerable progress has been made in the last three months. As we move into reviewing standards, it was agreed that there should be a focus on collaboration and delivering the right outcomes – even if this means adjusting initial timelines.
Finally, I’d like to share some updates on changes to the Sector Board. After seven years as the Fresh Produce Sector Board Chair, I will be stepping down in December. The role will be advertised over the summer, and I encourage anyone with an interest to apply for what has been a truly rewarding role supporting producers across the UK. We’re also recruiting a potato grower representative.
As always, thank you for your continued support and engagement with Red Tractor. If you have any questions or feedback, please do get in touch.
Best Wishes,
Lucy MacLennan
Red Tractor Fresh Produce Sector Chair
