The AFS Board met on 25 September to review progress across Red Tractor. Our discussions covered the standards review and current consultation, our response to animal welfare campaigns, strategy development, this year’s consumer marketing campaign and wider governance matters.
Welcomes
We welcomed Anthony Hopkins as AHDB’s new industry director and thanked Ken Boynes and Will Jackson for their contributions representing AHDB. John Powell, the new Chief Executive of the British Meat Processors Association, also joined us as an observer.
Updates from the Chair and CEO
I reported on positive stakeholder meetings at the Royal Welsh Show and reflected on representing Red Tractor at the AIC parliamentary reception and the Dairy UK annual dinner, as well as serving as a judge at the Cumbria Farmer Awards.
Our CEO, Paul McLaughlin, thanked members of the technical advisory committees and sector boards, alongside colleagues across the technical and communications teams, for the significant and sustained collective effort behind the standards review and the launch of the first consultation. He also shared a broadly positive staffing update: most vacancies are now filled, interviews for the poultry technical manager role are scheduled and shortlisting is underway for a new independent finance director.
We received a positive update on discussions with the Welsh Government about aligning Red Tractor assurance with relevant requirements, including potential earned recognition for animal health.
Standards review
Philippa Wiltshire, Standards & Operations Director and Deputy CEO, shared an update from the Standards Committee. She reported that the Committee had reviewed in great detail the proposals developed by the Technical Advisory Committees (TACs) and agreed by Sector Boards. We all recognised the exceptional level of engagement, attendance and detailed discussion across the TACs, and the substantial work undertaken to ensure every proposal had been properly examined and justified.
The proposed changes to the Fresh Produce, Pigs and Poultry standards will go to consultation in November.
Proposed changes to the Combinable Crops and Sugar Beet standards will go to the Crops Sector Board next week. If agreed by consensus, they will then go to the Standards Committee before going to consultation at the same time as proposals for the other sectors.
The Board also heard that an updated issues-management process will be presented at the next Standards Committee meeting, supporting continuous learning from animal welfare exposés.
Consultation update
The consultation for proposed changes to the Beef & Lamb and Dairy Standards launched on 22 September for six weeks. The proposals have received a positive initial response. The Board discussed lessons from the Beef & Lamb and Dairy consultation, including how to shorten the survey while maintaining transparency and keeping TACs and Sector Boards informed as consultation materials are developed.
Strategy development
Work is underway to define business-as-usual, stretch and transformational outcomes for Red Tractor’s future strategy. These will be brought to the Board in January for debate and discussion.
Marketing update
The Board reviewed the performance of the 2025 With You for 25 Years campaign, which reached around 49 million people. It reached 93% of primary shoppers an average of nine times, while prompted awareness among the target audience peaked at 75%. Understanding of the brand also improved.
This year’s objective is to maintain awareness at 75% while improving conversion and strengthening consumer trust. The Yougov half-year September check-in results show that we are on-track with year-end KPI targets. The campaign will run in November and December across television, video on demand, radio, online video, out-of-home, in-store activity and consumer PR. The Board noted the challenge of rising television costs and increasingly fragmented media consumption, which should be considered for future campaign planning.
Systems review
Finally, the Board signed off a proposal to support the continued development of the organisations technical capabilities to help deliver smarter assurance in the future.
Kind regards,
Alistair Macintosh, Red Tractor Chair
Red Tractor Board members:
- Alistair Macintosh – Chair
- John Pain – Vice Chair
- Paul Tompkins – Industry Director, Farmers Union
- Anthony Hopkins – Industry Director, AHDB
- 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
- Veryan Bliss – Fresh Produce Sector Chair
- Stewart Houston CBE, FRAgs – Pigs Sector Chair
- Nick Major – Poultry Sector Chair
- Paul McLaughlin – Chief Executive