The Red Tractor Board of Directors met on 23 January 2026. The meeting was an opportunity to review initial proposals for objectives in the next financial year, from 1 April 2026, as well as discussing ongoing work and challenges. It was an upbeat meeting, reflecting the positive steps forward and much still to do.
CEO recruitment
I shared an update on the recruitment of the next CEO following Jim’s planned retirement from the organisation at the end of April. The recruitment consultancy, Berwick and Partners, has had a positive response to the advert and is now in the process of identifying a short list to be shared with the Nominations Committee. The Board agreed to progress with the recruitment process as published just before Christmas.
Standards reviews
The Board received an update from the Standards Committee meeting where responses to the request for feedback on sector priorities were discussed in detail. Media and stakeholder commentary on the publication of the priorities has been positive, with most welcoming and encouraging the opportunity to feedback. However, the level of engagement – particularly in poultry, pigs and fresh produce – has been lower than expected. Red Tractor’s communications team will continue to promote opportunities for feedback until 1 February.
Animal welfare
The Board also debated and discussed how Red Tractor can support the industry and uphold its reputations in the likelihood of an increased number of animal welfare exposes in 2026. The Board agreed that increasing year-round compliance with Red Tractor Standards, focusing on culture and human-animal interactions, is an essential component of safeguarding animal welfare and upholding the standards of UK livestock farming. Enhanced training, CCTV and working with industry groups were all discussed. This topic is likely to remain a live and evolving discussion in livestock sector boards, particularly those with intensive production.
Collaboration with other assurance schemes
The CEO provided an update on the second meeting of assurance schemes, initiated by Red Tractor in 2025, which took place in Edinburgh on 16 January. It was reassuring to hear the shared focus across schemes on reducing audit burden. This forum will provide an essential ‘check’ on cross-scheme implications of changes to standards and assessment processes as many schemes look to review these in 2026.
2026/27 Planning
Red Tractor’s leadership team shared their initial proposals for objectives and priority areas of work to be delivered in 2026/27. These are set within an internal context of a standards review process, a new CEO and embedding new ways of working within the organisation. They also take account of increased import competition, activist campaigns, government consultations, geopolitical impacts on international trade and food inflation.
The Board agreed the importance of balancing the requirements of all stakeholders – shoppers, farmers and growers, government, retailers, caterers and brands – in developing this strategy. This includes the need to recognise the importance of out of home and food service opportunities from recommendations in the Farm Profitability Review.
We also discussed how Red Tractor could encourage feelings of pride in more challenging sectors, including with arable farmers.
The proposed overarching aims include an ongoing commitment to deliver the sentiment and aims of the Farm Assurance Review; upholding Red Tractor and industry’s reputation; developing partnerships and pride with all stakeholders; and utilising Red Tractor as a competitive advantage at home and abroad.
These aims are supported by high level and more detailed objectives which Directors have been asked to review ahead of further discussions in March.
Next steps
Red Tractor Sector Boards, which include representatives from across the supply chain in each sector, will meet in February to discuss feedback on the priorities that they identified for their sectors and the Board’s request to consider water and air quality challenges within their sectors. The sector-specific Technical Advisory Committees continue to develop the draft standards revisions, which we will consult on later this year.
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 (absent from this meeting)
- James Russell – Independent Director, Vet
- David Neilson – Independent Director, BPC (absent from this meeting)
- John Dracup – Beef & Lamb Sector Chair
- Julian Sturdy – Combinable Crops and Sugar Beet Sector Chair
- Tim Lock – Dairy Sector Chair
- Veryan Bliss – Fresh Produce Sector Chair
- Stewart Houston CBE, FRAgS – Pig Sector Chair
- Nick Major – Poultry Sector Chair
- Jim Moseley – Chief Executive