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Author: jomiller

02 Jul 2026

Pigs Sector Board Update – June 2026

Message from Stewart Houston, Pigs Sector Chair, Red Tractor

Dear Members,

The Pigs Sector Board met in June 2026 for a wide-ranging discussion on the future of the Red Tractor pig scheme, including the ongoing standards review, flexible farrowing, and sector communications. We also reflected on the difficult market conditions as the wider pigs sector continues to make its way through supply challenges.

We welcomed Jemma Flinton from Tesco as the new retailer representative and a further indoor producer. We also welcomed Red Tractor Chief Executive, Paul McLaughlin, who underlined the importance of sector autonomy and the Sector Boards’ role in agreeing standards that the industry can support and stand behind. Paul’s ambition for Red Tractor is to be trusted by farmers, chosen by markets and understood by consumers.

The Sector Board discussed the importance of its role in improving farmer sentiment towards assurance, particularly through developing practical standards, clear communication, and overseeing a better assessment experience.

Progress on the standards review

The Board received an update on the Technical Advisory Committee’s (TAC) review of the pig standards

The TAC has now completed a hygiene check of all the existing standards, removing duplication, improving readability, strengthening or rewording standards where appropriate, removing requirements that are not applicable to pigs, and horizon scanning for future challenges.

The Pig Board discussed several areas in detail, including visitor facilities, especially showers, enrichment, stocking density for finishing pigs towards the end of the growing period, especially in the light of more extremely hot spells of weather. Members recognised that finishing weights have increased over time and that standards need to reflect practical weather considerations, including how producers manage stocking density and thinning ahead of scale.

The Pigs Sector Board will meet again in September to review the final proposed standards being developed by the TAC before publicly consulting on the proposals later this year.

Flexible farrowing

Flexible farrowing remained an important area of discussion. The board discussed a proposal developed by the TAC, including the need to give producers confidence to invest, protect early adopters and provide a framework for voluntary progress. The approach needs to balance evidence, feasibility, customer requirements, auditability and burden. We expect to share a specification with members before the end of the year. This would be considered as part of a potential enhanced welfare indoor standard at a later date.

Environmental requirements

The Sector Board discussed the potential for environmental standards. Farmer representatives noted that pig farmers are already facing developing environmental regulation, and there was concern that Red Tractor Standards need to avoid duplicating regulation or retailer requirements before the legal direction is clearer.

The Board also discussed the difference between manure management plans and nutrient management plans, including the practical challenges where slurry is applied to neighbouring land. Board members agreed that any changes must be proportionate, auditable and practical for producers.

Communications, research and animal welfare campaigns

Red Tractor Director of Communications & Engagement Jo Miller updated the Sector Board on recent communications, including supporting producers to respond to activists, positive engagement at the Pig & Poultry Fair, and Red Tractor’s wider communications programme. Jo also shared findings from Red Tractor’s research, including the Trust in Food Index 2026, the Post Assessment Survey and the Farmer Sentiment Survey.

The research reinforced the need to maintain public trust while responding to farmer feedback on audit experience, standards burden and the value Red Tractor delivers. The board also discussed ongoing responses to animal welfare campaigns and the importance of improving understanding of indoor pig production among stakeholders, including enforcement bodies.

Next steps

The Pig Sector Board will continue to develop the next version of the Pig Standards, with the agreement that optional enhanced welfare standards should not be consulted on at the same time as the core standards review, but delivered separately after further work by the TAC.

Stewart Houston

Chair, Red Tractor Pig Sector Board

Pigs Sector Board Members:

  • Stewart Houston – Chair
  • Grace O’ Gorman – TAC Chair
  • Lizzie Wilson – NPA
  • Stephen Waite – Processor
  • Jemma Flinton – Retailer
  • Alex Thomsett – PVS
  • Mark Haighton – AHDB
  • Muhamed Maliki – Processor
  • Pig Producer Reps x 5

19 Jun 2026

Beef & Lamb Sector Board Update – June 2026

Message from John Dracup, Beef & Lamb Sector Chair, Red Tractor

Following our recent Beef & Lamb Sector Board meeting, I would like to update you on the key discussions and what they mean for you. 

But before doing so, we would like to extend our sincere condolences to Board member Phil Stocker on the recent loss of his wife. Our thoughts are very much with him at this difficult time. 

We would also like to congratulate Phil on being awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours. This is a well‑deserved recognition of his long‑standing contribution to the sheep sector and to British agriculture more broadly. Phil has been a strong and consistent voice for farmers over many years, and his commitment to the industry, particularly in representing the interests of sheep producers, is widely recognised. I know many of you will have benefited from his efforts on behalf of the sector, and I am sure you will join me in both offering your condolences and congratulating him on this achievement. 

The Board were pleased to welcome Red Tractor Chair, Alistair Mackintosh, and new CEO, Paul McLaughlin, to the meeting. Their attendance provided a valuable opportunity for open discussion on the wider direction of travel for Red Tractor. There was a clear emphasis on sector autonomy and the strength of sector board-led decision making, with reassurance that Red Tractor’s role is to support the sector, not dictate it. 

Paul also shared his early priorities as CEO, with a strong focus on engaging directly with farmers, processors and retailers. He set out a clear ambition for Red Tractor to be trusted by farmers, chosen by markets and understood by consumers, reinforcing that standards must remain industry-defined, with Boards and TACs at the heart of decision making. 

Standards Review – where we are now 

The main focus of the meeting was the standards review. After a significant amount of work involving farmers, industry representatives and technical experts, I am pleased to say that the Board has now approved a set of proposed changes to the standards. 

This has been a detailed and collaborative process, led by the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), with input from across the supply chain. Every standard has been reviewed line by line, with a clear focus on ensuring it remains relevant, justified and fit for purpose. The aim throughout has been to make sure the standards continue to reflect modern farming practice and are shaped by those working in the industry. 

What this means in practice 

In practical terms, the standards have been streamlined. This includes a significant reduction in audit points, and clearer structure across the standards, making them easier to navigate and apply in practice. 

Importantly, this is not about asking you to do more, or less, but about improving how requirements are presented and assessed. The work has focused on removing duplication, improving clarity and ensuring standards are proportionate to risk. 

The overall aim has been to develop a set of standards that work better on farm, reflect day‑to‑day realities, reduce unnecessary complexity and rebuild trust with farmers 

At the same time, the Board is clear that we must continue to uphold the integrity and robustness of Red Tractor, ensuring standards still deliver confidence for the supply chain and consumers. 

We are also exploring how we could move towards a more proportionate approach to assurance. This would mean recognising good compliance while allowing assessments to be more targeted on key areas such as animal welfare and medicines, rather than covering everything in the same way for every farm. 

Consultation – the opportunity to have your say 

The next step in the process is consultation. When this opens later in the year, you will have the opportunity to: 

  • look through the proposed changes in detail 
  • provide feedback on what works and what does not 
  • highlight anything that does not reflect real farm practice 
  • suggest where further improvements can be made 

This is an important stage and part of our commitment to making the process as open and industry‑led as possible. As the consultation launches, you may also see activity from other industry organisations as we work together to ensure farmers have every opportunity to contribute and engage.  

We recognise from your feedback that we need to continue improving how we communicate, listen and act. This consultation is an important part of that process and your opportunity to influence the outcome and ensure the standards work in practice for you. I strongly encourage you to take part. This is not simply a formality; your feedback will directly shape what the final set of standards look like. 

Farmer sentiment 

We reviewed the latest farmer sentiment and Trust in Food Index research. Encouragingly, farmer sentiment towards Red Tractor is improving and consumer trust in UK food remains very high, with assurance playing a key role. 

Looking ahead 

As part of the review, the Board has also started looking at what comes next, making sure the standards continue to evolve in a practical and farmer focused way. One area discussed was lifetime assurance – an industry driven ambition for the future.  

However, it’s important to be clear that this is not something being introduced now, and it is not something that can be delivered in isolation. The Board’s view is that any move in this direction can only happen once the right government framework is in place, particularly around traceability. Any future development in this area must be led by the industry and work in practice for farmers.  

Finally, I want to give thanks to everyone who has contributed to the standards review so far. This has genuinely been an industry led process, with a huge amount of time, effort and expertise invested to get to this point.  

We will be in touch again soon with further details on how to take part in the consultation and have your say. 

Kind regards, 
John Dracup 
Chair, Beef & Lamb Board 

Beef & Lamb Board members:  

John Dracup – Chair 

  • David Morgan – NFU 
  • Will Jackson – AHDB 
  • Alice Liddle – BRC/Food Service 
  • Alistair Brown – Livestock Auctioneers Association 
  • Phil Stocker – National Sheep Association 
  • Phil Hambling – British Meat Processors Association 
  • Henry Blain – Multiple Retailer 
  • Tom Atkins – Multiple Retailer 
  • Jude Capper – TAC Chair 
  • Navaratnam Partheeban – British Cattle Veterinary Association 
  • Sarah Haire – Dawn Meats (BMPA Representative) 
  • Ben Harman – National Beef Association 

13 Mar 2026

Red Tractor’s incoming CEO explains what bought him to the role

Paul McLaughlin will join Red Tractor as its new Chief Executive on 5 May. Here he answers some questions about what bought him to the role and how he plans to approach the first few months.

What most attracted you to the role of CEO at Red Tractor? 

Red Tractor were looking for someone with experience in member organisations, a link to food and drink (and ideally farming), assurance schemes and commercial development. It felt like they were writing a job tailored to me.  Red Tractor takes all of my experience to date and wraps it up into a single organisation’s purpose. Giving British farmers a mark that means something to them, and giving retailers and consumers confidence in what they are buying is a message I can really get behind, and the scale and responsibility of delivering this is what drew me to this role.

What experience do you bring to the role? 

I’ve worked across many parts of the food industry, starting as a graduate at Mars Confectionary and then at The Coca-Cola Company.  As quality assurance manager, I was responsible for ensuring standards across five franchisee manufacturing plants.  From there I became Commercialisation Director and was responsible for new product and packaging introductions across five countries.  

As CEO at Scotland Food & Drink, I worked with farmers, producers, processors and retailers – NFUS, DairyUK and AHDB around the table, along with the Scotch Whisky Association, Seafish, the Scottish Salmon Producers and more.  

From there, I was Managing Director of Scotty Brand, where I worked directly with farmers across multiple produce types – potatoes, carrots, lettuce, strawberries, raspberries, lettuce, soup mixes, burgers, bacon and biscuits – selling into the major retailers and convenience stores.  

As CEO of Building Engineering Services Association, we operated a UKAS accredited competent person assurance scheme and operated the refrigerant gas register, REFCOM.  And most recently, at Rail Safety and Standards Board, I was responsible for supplier assurance.  Initially outsourced, I brought auditing in-house and led an improvement in audit standards and customer satisfaction.

Is there anything you’re keen to achieve or do in your first few months?

My first priority is to listen. I want to get out on farms and meet people who carry the Red Tractor mark and understand what that means – positive and negative.  I also want to meet our retail partners and, very importantly, get to know the Red Tractor team.  There is an awful lot of good work being done by the team, and I want to understand that fully before I consider any changes.  A CEO who arrives thinking they have all the answers usually doesn’t.

Do you have any observations on the potential for Red Tractor to support British food and farming that you’d like to share?

Red Tractor already reaches the majority of food on British supermarket shelves, and that is a scale most brands can only dream of.  The opportunity is to make that scale count for more – so that farmers feel proud of the mark, retailers stand behind it with confidence, and consumers understand what it actually stands for.  It’s a great story and Red Tractor needs to tell it.

13 Mar 2026

Red Tractor appoints new Chief Executive

Paul McLaughlin has been appointed Chief Executive of Red Tractor, the UK’s largest food and farm assurance scheme.

Paul McLaughlin has a distinguished career spanning food, farming and assurance. He started out in food manufacturing, working with Mars and The Coca-Cola Company before becoming the inaugural Chief Executive of Scotland Food & Drink where he brought together producers, processors and retailers. As Managing Director of fresh produce business, Scotty Brand, he oversaw the supply of a wide range of products including potatoes, carrots, fruit and meat to the UK’s major grocery retailers. He has also held leadership roles at the Building Engineering Services Association and most recently at the Rail Safety & Standards Board where he led the transformation of a major assurance scheme.

A scheme that works hard for farmers and growers

Talking about his appointment, Paul McLaughlin said: “British farming is the backbone of our food system, and the farmers and growers who meet the Red Tractor standard deserve a scheme that works as hard for them as they work for us. I want Red Tractor to be something that farmers can be genuinely proud of and that retailers and consumers trust completely. I’ll be doing a lot of listening first, and then getting to work.”

Alistair Macintosh, Chair of Red Tractor said: “Paul brings a unique blend of experience working within food, assurance and multistakeholder organisations. He really impressed the interview panel with his considered and strategic approach to leadership and demonstrated the dynamism needed to drive continued improvement at Red Tractor. I very much look forward to welcoming him to the Red Tractor team.”

Joining Red Tractor at a pivotal time

Paul’s appointment follows a comprehensive, open recruitment process and was ratified by Red Tractor’s Board of Directors on 13 March 2026. He joins Red Tractor at a pivotal time for the organisation as it continues to review its standards and deliver its vision to be the pride of British food and farming.  

Paul will take up the role on 5 May, enabling him to work alongside Red Tractor’s outgoing CEO, Jim Moseley, before Jim retires at the end of May.

Paul will join Red Tractor’s Board of Directors, working alongside industry, sector and independent directors representing the full breadth of UK food and farming.

Following the recent NFU elections, Paul Tompkins, NFU Deputy President has also joined the Board to represent the farming unions. He replaces outgoing director, David Exwood.

Read Paul McLaughlin’s answers to questions about what bought him to the role at Red Tractor

08 Dec 2025

Red Tractor Board Update – November 2025

The Red Tractor Board met on Friday 28 November. On the agenda were:

  • Agreeing strategies for delivering improvements in each farming sector
  • Growing pressure on agriculture from environmental campaign groups and regulators
  • Engaging with farmers in face-to-face meetings.

At the start of the meeting, I was pleased to report on encouraging feedback I’ve received from NFU Council members, the commissioners of the Farm Assurance Review and members. Red Tractor has also seen positive collaboration with the Food Standards Agency and Trading Standards and has been invited to present at the UN Industrial Development Organization on our role supporting British agriculture. We are however mindful of the increasing pressure on everyone in the supply chain from environmental and animal welfare campaign groups which threaten the reputation of the industry as well as the Red Tractor logo. On animal welfare these serve as a reminder of the importance of compliance – something we are working with industry partners to reinforce.

Improving farm standards and audits

In the months running up to the Board meeting, Sector Boards – which include representatives from across the supply chain – have been working collaboratively to develop sector-specific technical strategies which deliver improvements specific to their sectors. The objectives and priorities in these working strategies have been developed by all members of the relevant Sector Boards and will guide its activities over the coming months and years with the support of Technical Advisory Committees (TACs).

All sectors have a common aim to harness new technologies, data and stakeholder input to streamline assessments, support the reduction of audit burden, and maintain customer confidence – while ensuring standards remain relevant to the farming sectors they serve.
The Board discussed the nuances and approaches of each sector and supported the initial priorities agreed by the Sector Boards, although they’ve asked the Sector Boards to consider the issue of water quality. The Board gave the go ahead for TACs to complete detailed reviews of standards in 2026.

It was noted that these technical improvements will be delivered alongside the wider operational improvements already underway including improvements to Red Tractor’s governance, communications and use of technology.

Communicating objectives and priorities

The Board then discussed the process for communicating these shared objectives, upholding its commitment to provide opportunities for stakeholder feedback, ensuring that stakeholders feel listened to throughout the standards review process. As a result the Board agreed to publish a summary of the objectives for each sector on 8 December with opportunities for feedback until 1 February 2026. Following this there will be further opportunities to feedback on proposals for detailed changes to standards.

Role on environmental assurance

The Board debated the role that Red Tractor plays in supporting the industry to meet environmental regulations and commitments. It was widely recognised that there is increasing pressure on the whole supply chain, including retailers, growers and farmers, to demonstrate their environmental compliance and to reduce adverse impacts. Water pollution was recognised as one of the most pressing issues that requires further discussion. As a result, the Board has asked Sector Boards to feedback on how they might address water pollution within each farming sector. Other environmental topics, such as carbon emissions and biodiversity were also discussed.

Meeting farmers face-to-face

As part of its communications strategy Red Tractor has committed to engaging more with farmers face-to-face. The Board heard that since April Red Tractor staff and Directors have attended more than 60 farmer-facing events, meeting over 1,000 farmers. This has included events such as Cereals, the Royal Welsh Show and UK Dairy Day. As part of our 25th anniversary celebrations we’ve also sponsored the Farmers Weekly Mixed Farmer of the Year Awards, the National Pig Awards and the Cumbrian Farmer Awards.

In October we ran four member events in Exeter, Stafford, Biggleswade and York. These were attended by over 100 farmers and resulted in robust discussions in which we answered members questions on a variety of issues. The Board reviewed feedback from these meetings and was encouraged to hear that the efforts by Red Tractor to engage more transparently were welcomed. The Board agreed that while these discussions may be challenging, it’s important that we continue to engage with the agricultural community. We’ll be organising more events for 2026.

Final thoughts

Overall, the meeting demonstrated positive progress by Red Tractor on many fronts. I’d like to take this moment to express my enormous gratitude to everyone on the Red Tractor staff for their hard work over the past year. I’m immensely proud of them all.

I’m also grateful to the 75+ members of our Sector Boards who have contributed their considerable knowledge, time and energies to developing the strategies that will take us forward into the new year.

Finally, on behalf of everyone on the Board I’d like to thank Lucy MacLennan and Iain Gardener for their immense contributions as Fresh Produce and Poultry Sector Chairs. Both have been part of Red Tractor’s board for over seven years and have overseen many changes within the organisation. Having come to the end of their terms on the Board, Lucy and Iain will be replaced by Veryan Bliss and Nick Major who joined the meeting and have had an extensive handover over the past month. We wish them all the best.

Kind regards,
Alistair Macintosh, Red Tractor Chair

Red Tractor Board members

  • John Pain – Vice Chair
  • David Exwood – Industry Director, Farmers Unions
  • Will Jackson – Industry Director, AHDB (covered for by Ken Boyns)
  • Dean Holroyd – Industry Director, BMPA
  • Natalie Smith – Industry Director, BRC
  • Chris Goodwin – Independent Director, Finance
  • James Russell – Independent Director, Vet
  • John Dracup – Beef & Lamb Sector Chair
  • Julian Sturdy – Combinable Crops and Sugar Beet Sector Chair
  • Tim Lock – Dairy Sector Chair
  • Lucy MacLennan – Fresh Produce Sector Chair. From 1 December 2025 Veryan Bliss takes over the role of Fresh Produce Sector Chair.
  • Stewart Houston CBE, FRAgS – Pig Sector Chair
  • Iain Gardner – Poultry Sector Chair. From 1 December 2025 Nick Major takes over the role of Poultry Sector Chair.
  • Jim Moseley – Chief Executive


Find out more about how decisions are made at Red Tractor.

10 Nov 2025

Pigs Sector Chair Update – November 2025

Dear Members,

Red Tractor’s Pigs Sector Board met on 5th November 2025 for a constructive meeting in which we discussed and tackled some important issues for the pigs sector. As always there were contributions from everyone in the room including producers, processors, the NPA and UFU, and our retailer representative. We were also joined by Duncan Berkshire from the Pig Veterinary Society (PVS).

Animal welfare exposes

The Board discussed the increasing pressure on the pigs industry created by animal welfare activists, and the risks of further media exposes.

It was agreed that Red Tractor has an important role in upholding standards in British pig production and the reputation of the industry. The Board agreed that compliance with Red Tractor standards is the best defence against exposes and welcomed the work that Red Tractor is doing with the NPA and others to raise awareness of the need for compliance.

Red Tractor staff explained the process for dealing with reports of mistreatment of animals, following a proportionate, fair and consistent approach, first investigating and then ensuring standards are upheld. In many cases Red Tractor is able to rule out animal welfare abuses. Between mid-August and mid-October there were 12 reports of animal welfare concerns involving pig producers – three have resulted in suspensions, one of which lasted less than 24 hours.

Red Tractor is working with certification bodies and others to ensure resources and processes are in place to respond as quickly as possible in a scenario of multiple simultaneous suspensions. The Board understands the damaging impacts that the suspension of Red Tractor certification can have on animal welfare and businesses. Red Tractor always aims to work with producers to lift suspensions as quickly as possible while ensuring the confidence of customers.

Manual blunt force trauma

Duncan Berkshire from PVS and Chair of the Pig Health and Welfare Council presented to the Pigs Board on the complex legislative landscape surrounding the use of manual blunt force trauma. Conflicts between primary and tertiary legislation, together with a change in Defra’s definition of ‘emergency’ euthanasia, are creating confusion amongst producers. Having examined the legislation, the Pigs Sector Board agreed that overall the legislation requires pig producers to use mechanical methods of euthanasia, except in exceptional emergencies.

The Board discussed the implications and the need for Red Tractor’s requirements to ensure standards keep pace with legislation. It also recognised, in the context of animal welfare exposes, the need for Red Tractor to play a role in upholding the reputation of the industry by moving away from manual blunt force trauma.

As a result, the Board unanimously agreed to include guidance on acceptable methods of euthanasia in Red Tractor’s pigs standards. More details on this guidance will be shared with pigs members as soon as possible.

Enhanced Welfare Outdoor Bred

The Board reviewed the communications plan and proposed labelling for the new Enhanced Welfare Outdoor Bred module to be introduced for the pigs sector at the request of industry. Further details will be communicated to all members and stakeholders in December, with the opportunity to transition to the module from 31 January 2026.

Alternative farrowing

Further to previous discussions on the need for an enhanced welfare offer for indoor bred pigs, and ongoing stakeholder and media interest in farrowing, the Board agreed that the Pigs Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) should develop options for an industry approach to more flexible farrowing.  A proposal will be presented at the next Sector Board meeting.

Sector Strategy

As part of Red Tractor’s commitment to tangible improvements for farmers, in 2026 TACs, Sector Boards and technical teams will review all farm standards. The Pigs Board has developed a strategy for the pigs sector which prioritises ensuring ongoing market access, enhanced welfare, reduced audit burden and builds a more connected community. As part of the longer-term strategy there was a positive discussion about how the Pigs Board can support the industry on environmental issues, in particular water pollution, working with AHDB and NPA. More details will be published in December with opportunities for stakeholder feedback.

25-years of Red Tractor

The meeting concluded with a round-up of Red Tractor’s marketing and PR campaign to raise awareness of the Red Tractor logo amongst shoppers. Communications included a collaboration with TV presenter, Angellica Bell.

As always, please do reach out to the Red Tractor team or a member of the Pigs Board if you have any questions on anything discussed during the meeting.

Kind Regards

Stewart Houston

Chair, Pigs Sector Board

Stewart Housten, Pigs Sector Chair

Members of the Pigs Sector Board

Stewart Houston – Chair

Grace O’Gorman – TAC Chair

Lizzie Wilson – NPA

Ash Gilman – Processor

William de Klein – Processor

Jack Davis – Retailer

Michael Putt – Pig Veterinary Society

Mark Haighton – AHDB Pork

Muhamed Maliki deputising for Heidi Decker Wojung – Processor

Pig Producer Reps (indoor and outdoor) – x 6 (including 1 x NPA rep and 1x UFU rep)*

*Names of producer reps are not published due to safety concerns

Recent Stories…

Recent stories
Love Lamb Week: Supporting British sheep farmers when they need it most
Red Tractor showcases the strength of British pork
Red Tractor celebrates Cumbria’s farming future at the Cumbria Farmer Awards
Love British Food and Red Tractor join forces to champion British food and farming
Show your support for British farming
Red Tractor connects with sheep farmers at NSA Sheep Event

03 Oct 2025

Red Tractor Board Update – September 2025

Red Tractor’s Board met on Friday 26 September. We had a packed agenda, with a lot of positive updates, and some more challenging discussions. Below is a summary of the most pertinent discussion points.

‘With you for 25 years’ campaign

Richard Cattell, Commercial and Marketing Director shared an update on Red Tractor’s current marketing campaign, which celebrates 25 years of Red Tractor. The campaign, which is currently showing on video-on-demand, radio and in store, will go live on mainstream TV on 20 October. For the first time, the advertising campaign is supported by social media influencer activation and PR. The campaign is expected to reach 93% of UK primary shoppers, making it our biggest yet.  This campaign is funded through licensing revenues paid for by supply chain businesses.

Opening up overseas markets

At the direction of the Board, the Red Tractor team has been investigating the potential role that Red Tractor and the assurance we provide can play in supporting export initiatives that complement, and support endeavours already undertaken by AHDB. As a result, Red Tractor has been in discussions with processors. Representatives from all protein sectors have expressed an interest in exploring opportunities. Markets currently identified for more detailed investigation are the UAE, for chicken and dairy, and California for pork.

Delivering recommendations of 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. The Board reviewed the detailed response and congratulated the Red Tractor team on all its hard work. Ongoing progress will require collaboration with other schemes and stakeholders, something which Red Tractor hopes to support by convening a meeting of assurance schemes on 16 October.

Portal and data improvements

Significant progress is being made in developing and exploring new ways for members to share evidence of compliance remotely and information with assessors. These include developing a mechanism for geo-tagged photographs to be uploaded to the Red Tractor Members Portal as a way of logging compliance. Red Tractor is also in discussion with farm software providers to ensure they provide information needed and compliant for Red Tractor audits, and that assessors know how to access this information.

Sector strategy development

During September, Sector Boards held extraordinary online meetings to discuss the priorities for reviewing and evolving the standards for each Red Tractor assured farming sector. The proposals being developed aim to ensure Red Tractor’s requirements remain relevant, while also being practical and deliverable by farmers, taking onboard feedback. The strategies will be shared with stakeholders later in the year.

Farmer wellbeing

John Pain, Red Tractor’s newly appointed Vice Chair shared an update on his plans to ensure the wellbeing of farmers is incorporated into Red Tractor’s decision making. John is reaching out to relevant organisations, such as RABI and FCN, to seek their input. He also plans to meet with farmers to discuss their experiences.

Sector Board and member feedback

Red Tractor commissioned a survey of Sector Board members to understand their views towards Red Tractor’s governance and ways of working. Overall, the feedback shows a significant improvement in all areas in comparison to the survey commissioned for the Campbell Tickell Report in April 2024. The results will be shared with Sector Boards in their November meetings.

The Board also reviewed results from an anonymous post-assessment survey sent to all members following the completion of an audit. The results show year on year improvements in members’ perceptions of transparency, value and sentiment towards Red Tractor, with the majority reporting a positive experience. The Board welcomed these results but acknowledged that there is still more work to be done.

Responding to animal welfare exposés

The Board discussed Red Tractor’s responses to recent exposés of the mistreatment of pigs following undercover filming by Animal Justice Project. These exposés are deeply distressing and have a damaging impact on Red Tractor’s reputation, and that of British farming.

Red Tractor has taken a consistent approach to responding to all cases of mistreatment, suspending farm’s certification, investigating the causes and ensuring specific conditions were in place to ensure the welfare of animals before suspensions are lifted.

Red Tractor, through its Pigs Board, is working with the industry to raise awareness of the risks of non-conformance.

At the request of the industry, Red Tractor has been developing an enhanced welfare module for pigs, the final details of which will be communicated shortly with stakeholders.

Jim Moseley’s plans for retirement

In concluding the meeting, I shared the news that Jim Moseley, Chief Executive of Red Tractor has decided that now is the right time to take a step back from full time employment. Red Tractor has since announced Jim’s plans to retire in April 2026. On behalf of Red Tractor’s Board of Directors, I’d like to thank Jim for his unrelenting support for British food production. I’m very grateful for Jim’s support as we continue to deliver real, tangible change for farmers, while recruiting a new Chief Executive. The mechanism for recruiting a new CEO will be announced in due course.

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 one of the Directors who sit on our Board. Their details are below.

Kind regards,

Alistair Mackintosh

Red Tractor Chair

Red Tractor Board members:

  • John Pain – Vice Chair
  • David Exwood – Industry Director, Farmers Unions
  • Will Jackson – Industry Director, AHDB (covered for by Ken Boyns on 26 September)
  • Dean Holroyd – Industry Director, BMPA
  • Natalie Smith – Industry Director, BRC
  • Chris Goodwin – Independent Director, Finance
  • James Russell – Independent Director, Vet
  • John Dracup – Beef & Lamb Sector Chair
  • Julian Sturdy – Combinable Crops and Sugar Beet Sector Chair
  • Tim Lock – Dairy Sector Chair
  • Lucy MacLennan – Fresh Produce Sector Chair
  • Stewart Houston CBE, FRAgS – Pig Sector Chair
  • Iain Gardner – Poultry Sector Chair
  • Jim Moseley – Chief Executive

Find out more about how decisions are made at Red Tractor. 

29 Sep 2025

Red Tractor CEO, Jim Moseley to retire

Red Tractor Chief Executive, Jim Moseley has announced that he will retire from full-time employment in April 2026.

“After 50 years in the food and drink industry, and 9 years as Chief Executive of Red Tractor, now is the right time for me to take a step-back to enable more personal time,” Jim Moseley said. “I will leave Red Tractor in a strong position to support the future of British food and farming, with a Board, a Leadership Team and tremendous employees who have the skills, knowledge, experience and dedication to carry Red Tractor forward.

“I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the team at Red Tractor for their immense contribution and hard work. Assurance is not an easy occupation, but the team at Red Tractor deliver their roles with huge professionalism and extraordinary resilience. This team is one of the strongest I have had the pleasure of working with. Red Tractor’s recognition by the World Health Organisation as a ‘global exemplar of a voluntary assurance programme’ is testament to their abilities and the quality of the scheme.”

Alistair Mackintosh, Chair of Red Tractor said: “Jim has made an extraordinary contribution to Red Tractor and British food and farming. Consumer trust in British food is at record levels, as are the number of retailers, caterers and brands relying on Red Tractor assurance. The influence that Red Tractor has in securing markets and demand for British produce, should not be underestimated. Jim will leave an organisation which is highly motivated, financially sound and well governed. On behalf of Red Tractor’s Board of Directors, I’d like to thank Jim for his unrelenting support for British food production. I’m very grateful for Jim’s support as we continue to deliver real, tangible change for farmers, while recruiting a new Chief Executive.”

Watch an interview with Jim Moseley explaining his reasons for retirement

Jim Moseley explains his decision to retire from full time employment

Jim Moseley has worked in every aspect of food and drink, starting out in primary agriculture before moving into food manufacturing, responsible for some of the UK’s biggest food brands. He’s represented the industry at the highest level with governments and global bodies, as President of the Food and Drink Federation, Chair of the Provision Trade Federation, Member of Food Drink Europe and as an industry representative of various government groups including the Trade & Agriculture Commission. He became Chief Executive of Red Tractor in 2017, having previously served as its Chair for two years.

Jim will remain in post for the remainder of the 2025/26 financial year, enabling time for the recruitment of a new Chief Executive while Red Tractor continues to focus on its current priorities, including delivering the recommendations set out in the Farm Assurance Review. 

After retiring as Chief Executive of Red Tractor, Jim plans to focus on roles that will give him more time to focus on family and personal life. The process for recruiting a new Chief Executive will be shared in due course

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