Yesterday we took to the streets of London to proudly back British farming!
Our team joined forces with the NFU (National Farmers’ Union), Surrey Docks Farm and The Worshipful Company of Farmers at the Lady Mayor’s Show — an iconic event that celebrates British heritage, community, and industry.
Marching through the capital, we helped shine a spotlight on the incredible work our British farmers do every single day, producing quality, safe, and fully traceable food that feeds our nation.
The energy from the crowds was electric! It’s always inspiring to see so many people come together to celebrate the people behind our food and to share the story of what the Red Tractor label truly stands for: trust, assurance, and British pride.
For our team, the show is more than just a parade; it’s one of the highlights of our year. It brings us together, reminds us why we do what we do, and reinforces how important it is to take our message beyond the farm gates and into the streets.
29 Oct 2025
Red Tractor responds to the first Farm Assurance Review monitoring report
Alistair Mackintosh, Chair of Red Tractor commented on the Farm Assurance Review monitoring report:
“Today’s update from David Llewelyn highlights Red Tractor’s progress and our commitment to delivering tangible change for farmers. Since welcoming the recommendations in the review, Red Tractor has increased transparency around decision‑making, formalised the process for setting standards and delivered improvements to the Red Tractor portal. We’re also revamping our communications and exploring ways to reduce audit burden through technology and streamlining standards.
“This work focuses on delivering value and improving how assurance works for farmers, but it will take time. Farmer representatives on our Sector Boards have been involved at every stage, helping shape reforms that aim to deliver greater value to members. They are integral to Red Tractor, and I look forward to continuing to work with them and with stakeholders across the industry and supply chains through the upcoming standards review to ensure our requirements are robust, practical and meet consumer expectations.”
Find out more information about Red Tractor’s detailed progress against the Farm Assurance Review’s recommendations and how we set standards:
New Red Tractor chairs appointed to lead Fresh Produce and Poultry sectors
Red Tractor is pleased to announce the appointment of two new Sector Chairs – Nick Major as Chair of the Poultry Sector Board and Veryan Bliss as Chair of the Fresh Produce Sector Board. Both will also join the Red Tractor Board of Directors and will play key roles in shaping the strategic direction of the organisation.
Nick Major, Red Tractor Poultry Sector Chair
Nick brings extensive executive and non-executive board experience across the agricultural supply industry. He spent 38 years with international animal feed company ForFarmers in sales, marketing and general management roles, and as Corporate Affairs Director led the development and implementation of ForFarmers’ sustainability strategy.
Commenting on his appointment, Nick Major said:
“Farmers are rightly proud of the very high animal welfare and production standards we operate to in the UK, as am I. I believe that maintaining the trust consumers place in Red Tractor is vital in improving the profitability and resilience of the entire food and farming sector and particularly poultry production, in the years ahead. I look forward to playing my part in shaping that future for Red Tractor and for the poultry sector.”
Nick is a Senior Adviser at Wild Search and sat on the Centre for Innovation Excellence’s board prior to the merger with the UK Agri-Tech Centre. He has held numerous non‑executive, trustee and advisory roles, served as Chairman of the Agricultural Industries Confederation, chaired the Board of the Global Feed LCA Institute and is a former President of the European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Farmers.
Veryan Bliss, Red Tractor Fresh Produce Sector Chair
Veryan brings three decades of experience across the global fresh produce supply chain, with deep expertise in growing, packing, technical assurance, innovation and governance for the UK retail sector. For more than 20 years, she held senior leadership roles at Suncrop Produce, serving as both Commercial and Technical Director and Technical Director, where she oversaw technical and ESG responsibilities from farm to shelf, led commercial and operational developments, managed brand protection and fostered grower and retailer relationships. In 2022 she launched Food Intelligence Limited and continues to provide strategic leadership and advisory support across the sector.
Commenting on her appointment, Veryan Bliss said:
“I chose to apply for the Fresh Produce Chair role because I care deeply about bridging the gap between growers, retailers, and consumers. It’s an opportunity to help shape assurance that is proportionate, progressive, and genuinely supportive of the people who produce our food. I see Red Tractor as a shared platform for trust and progress, and I wanted to help ensure it continues to work with growers to deliver assurance that genuinely adds value.”
Veryan has served on the Red Tractor Fresh Produce Board since 2019 and holds several industry roles, including Non‑Executive Director of the Fresh Produce Consortium and The Andersons Centre, and Trustee of the East of England Agricultural Society. She has co‑chaired the Waitrose Agronomy Group, served on the John Lewis Partnership’s Leckford Estate Regenerative Agriculture Steering Group, and was elected as an industry representative to the Soil Association. Veryan is a committed mentor and thought leader, supporting Women in Agriculture and advising agri-tech companies at the intersection of technology and sustainability.
Welcoming the appointments, Red Tractor Chair Alistair Macintosh said:
“We are delighted to welcome Nick and Veryan to their new roles. They bring complementary experience and deep sector knowledge that will strengthen Red Tractor’s ability to support producers and supply chains while maintaining the trust consumers place in our assurance. Their leadership will be invaluable as we continue to evolve our standards and deliver value for British farming and food.”
Roles and recruitment
The Poultry and Fresh Produce Sector Boards represent the interests of producers, processors and retailers in their respective supply chains and are responsible for maintaining the integrity and relevance of Red Tractor standards. As Sector Chairs, Nick Major and Veryan Bliss will chair their sector boards and contribute to the Red Tractor Board’s work setting strategic priorities for the organisation.
Both appointments followed an open recruitment process overseen by the Red Tractor Nominations Committee, with representatives from the relevant Sector Boards and in line with the Red Tractor Governance Handbook. The roles were widely advertised across industry channels and stakeholder networks.
22 Oct 2025
Red Tractor launches ‘Recipes to Remember’ with TV’s Angellica Bell
Toad in the hole, corned beef hash, and bubble and squeak are among the classic kitchen British kitchen staples which have stood the test of time.
A poll of 2,000 adults revealed the top 30 nostalgic dishes people prepared in homes across the UK, including liver and onions (28 per cent), bread and butter pudding (33 per cent), and Welsh rarebit (26 per cent).
Other dishes making their way to the dinner table are home-made scotch eggs (24 per cent), suet dumplings (20 per cent), and Lancashire hot pot (19 per cent).
It also emerged 63 per cent confirmed the retro recipes they serve up to loved ones have been passed down to them through the generations, signifying the key role they still play in family mealtimes.
With 54 per cent learning them from their parents and 24 per cent from their grandparents.
In a bid to put traditional dishes to the test, children’s TV legend Angellica Bell teamed up with Red Tractor to host an intergenerational cook-off, featuring a selection of family recipes handed down through the generations.
Three families joined the Celebrity MasterChef winner and former CBBC presenter to recreate their favourite nostalgic dishes and explore why they are so important to them.
Recipes included meatballs and spaghetti prepared by Nessie with her two daughters, Coco and Zaza, and son, Kaspar.
A hearty rhubarb crumble was created by Colette and her daughters, Amy and Chloe, and a delicious Chinese-style chicken noodle recipe was prepared by Tony and his son, Benjamin.
The cook-along was planned by the food assurance scheme in honour of its 25-year anniversary, celebrating the hard work of British farmers and growers in meeting the high standards that ensure the safety and traceability of food produced in the UK.
Angellica Bell said: “I have great memories of cooking with my grandmother when I was a little girl and that’s why I believe spending quality time with loved ones in the kitchen is precious.
“It was fantastic to meet some amazing families and discuss the nostalgic dishes that have been handed down through generations in their households, hearing how important it is to them to keep those traditions alive.
“Creating recipes with ingredients that I know are safe, traceable, and British, was the perfect way to remind people about the importance of keeping this front of mind when shopping in supermarkets.”
Richard Cattell, spokesperson for Red Tractor, which has also created an interactive AI recipe generator tool to encourage budding chefs to create nostalgic recipes for their families said: “To mark this milestone anniversary we wanted to explore how nostalgia and cooking can really bring families together.
“It was fascinating to find out which traditional British dishes have stood the test of time, as well as seeing the unique and personal touches families bring to those recipes in the modern day.
“Angellica was the perfect host for the event – as well as it being 25 years since she first started as a children’s TV presenter, she is also passionate about cooking and encouraging children to get involved too.
“We hope to inspire others to get together with loved ones and prepare their own nostalgic dishes.”
The study found that over two thirds (68 per cent) of adults have used specific methods to try and keep traditional recipes alive.
For example, cooking their favourites at big family gatherings, writing recipes down in notebooks or cookbooks, or teaching their own children how to make nostalgic dishes.
Overall, 87 per cent agreed it’s important to keep traditional British recipes alive, according to the OnePoll.com data.
And it seems they are living up to this promise – with over a third (35 per cent) cooking classic dishes at least a few times every week.
A contributing factor to this may be the importance placed on buying British produce and supporting British farmers – 75 per cent confirmed they take this into account each time they shop for their family.
Richard Cattell added: “Nostalgic dishes may not be considered as trendy as they once were, but it doesn’t mean we should let important aspects of our heritage fade from the kitchen completely.
“It’s heart warming and reassuring to see that so many families agree – and are keeping our nation’s favourite classic dishes alive by sharing recipes through the generations and creating lasting memories together in the kitchen.
“With a dash of nostalgia and a big dollop of comfort – we can keep homegrown produce and dishes at the heart of our family homes, ensuring the safety and traceability of ingredients while supporting British farmers.”
TOP 30 CLASSIC DISHES STILL BEING SERVED UP AT HOME
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
22 Sep 2025
Shared Commitment, Shared Success: Red Tractor Backing Better Dairy Welfare
The latest review of the UK Dairy Cattle Welfare Strategy (2023–2028) shows real progress in cow health and wellbeing, driven by collaboration across the industry. The strategy sets six key goals: healthy feet, thriving cows, healthy udders, cow comfort, good nutrition, and positive welfare. Farmers, vets, researchers, processors, retailers, and assurance schemes are all contributing to these improvements.
Lameness, a costly but preventable problem, is being reduced through routine mobility scoring, while tighter control of Johne’s disease has nearly halved herd infection levels since 2015. Mastitis cases have fallen thanks to regular monitoring, and more cows are in good body condition with fewer lesions and swellings than a decade ago.
Red Tractor supports these efforts by translating welfare science into practical standards that can be applied on farm. With 98% of UK milk coming from Red Tractor-assured farms, this shared commitment is helping to drive real change. From mobility scoring at assessments to the adoption of the National Johne’s Management Plan (NJMP) into the standards, Red Tractor provides a consistent framework that ensures improvements are widespread rather than isolated.
As the strategy continues to 2028, farmers’ day-to-day dedication, backed by science-led innovation and practical standards, will remain central to future progress in cow welfare and sustainability. As Red Tractor evolves to meet changing industry demands we will look to see where our standards can support the strategy.
Jemma Holden, Red Tractor’s Dairy Technical Manager underlined Red Tractor’s role in bridging welfare science with practical standards. She said “Improving cow welfare is a shared commitment. Red Tractor’s role is to translate welfare science into practical, on-farm standards. By providing clear, consistent standards we’re helping the industry make meaningful, lasting progress in line with the Dairy Cattle Welfare Strategy. As industry demands evolve, we’ll continue to ensure our standards support that strategy.”
Red Tractor labelled meat must be stunned before slaughter
All meat products carrying a Red Tractor logo or claim must be stunned before slaughter
Our requirements are clear and uncompromising. All livestock intended for Red Tractor labelled meat products, including those that are religiously slaughtered, must be effectively stunned before slaughter. This applies to every animal, without exception.
Animal welfare is at the heart of Red Tractor’s standards. We take our guidance from independent expert bodies including DEFRA, which sets the legislation on slaughter practices, and the Humane Slaughter Association, which publishes guidance and technical notes.
While some Red Tractor products may also carry additional labels such as Halal, organic, or other cultural or production claims, those schemes are managed by other organisations. What matters for shoppers is this: the Red Tractor logo will only appear on product which has met our criteria. Our criteria will always include the requirement that livestock is stunned before slaughter. Meat with a Red Tractor claim can be described as Halal too, but the animal must have been stunned prior to slaughter.
Our Traceability Challenge programme rigorously tests supply chains to ensure integrity from farm to pack. It means shoppers can have complete confidence that anything carrying the Red Tractor logo is exactly what it claims to be.
Red Tractor Launches New TV Advert: ‘With You For 25 Years’
New advertising campaign celebrates 25 years of safe, British food
Red Tractor is celebrating 25 years since its launch with a new TV advertisement that spotlights the role of Red Tractor assurance in putting safe, traceable and responsibly produced food at the heart of family mealtimes.
Its new ‘With You For 25 Years’ campaign highlights the everyday moments that matter most – families coming together around the kitchen table to share delicious food prepared with care.
With You For 25 Years
Thanks to the daily commitment of farmers and food businesses who uphold Red Tractor’s rigorous standards, consumer trust in UK-produced food is now at a high of 94%, a significant turn-around since the food safety crises of the 1990s. YouGov research also shows that over two thirds of shoppers recognise and trust the Red Tractor logo, seeing it as an independent source of assurance they can trust.
Red Tractor’s Trust in Food Index recently revealed that British shoppers overwhelmingly value the reassurance of knowing where their food comes from and how it’s produced. 90% of people now want more food to be produced in the UK, and food assurance schemes are the number one reason Brits trust that UK food is safe and high quality, with trust in food assurance rising from 68% (2024) to 79% (2025).
This achievement is only possible thanks to the collaboration of the entire food and farming industry. Red Tractor was founded in 2000 by farming unions, food industry organisations and retailers, with a governance structure that ensures the distilled wisdom of the entire food chain is utilised and that there is an equitable balance of interests throughout its Boards and Committees.
John Pain, Board Director and Vice Chair of Red Tractor commented:
“At the core of the 25th anniversary celebrations is a sincere thank you to all Red Tractor partners – the farmers, processors, food outlets, retailers and brands who stand behind the Red Tractor logo.”
The next 25 years of standards
Natalie Smith, Tesco Head of Agriculture said:
“We’re proud to support British agriculture and the thousands of farmers and producers who provide us with quality, affordable, sustainable products year-round. Certification schemes play a key role in providing reassurance for customers, and over the past 25 years, Red Tractor has established itself as a mark of quality, standing for food safety standards, animal welfare and environmental protection.
“We recognise there is still more to do, and it’s essential we continue to work in partnership with Red Tractor to improve standards, and take quick action to drive forward change, strengthening the farming industry for generations to come.”
In the coming weeks, Red Tractor will also go behind the scenes of real family kitchens to hear stories about what makes food and mealtimes so meaningful, with content to be featured across its social media channels.
Red Tractor’s new advert will be broadcast across on-demand video services and radio from August, and will launch across linear TV from October.
At the heart of British farming practice is a shared commitment to integrity, responsibility, and high standards.
Every day, thousands of Red Tractor assured sites and their teams go above and beyond, caring for their animals, producing safe food, and safeguarding the reputation of UK agriculture.
While audits to Red Tractor Standards provide a snapshot in time, assurance is about continuous care. Farmers make a promise to uphold our standards every day, not just on the day of the assessment.
To hold farmers to this promise, we may make more frequent and unannounced visits to those businesses which require a closer monitoring of ability to maintain compliance. It may be that we also ask for more third party engagement on the farm, such as vet visits to provide independent confirmation of actions.
We also provide an anonymous whistle-blowing service and actively encourage anyone with concerns to raise these as soon as possible so that we can investigate.
Dealing with concerns
When concerns arise, we act decisively, proportionately and consistently, investigating thoroughly, requiring corrective measures, and monitoring ongoing compliance. Farms that cannot meet out expectations cannot remain assured.
In more serious cases, such as where serious neglect or mistreatment of animals is reported, a farm’s certification can be suspended, pending investigation. Certification is only reinstated if all parties are completely satisfied our standards are met.
We work with the independent certification body to review the evidence, verify any claims of non-compliance – correcting misinformation where necessary – and find a resolution that maintains customer confidence, as quickly as possible.
When footage or allegations are received, Red Tractor will:
Review and triage evidence
Consult experts and vets, if needed
Conduct a spot check, where necessary
Seek to verify all evidence
Call out inaccurate or unfair claims against a member
Suspend assurance only when a clear breach of our standards is confirmed
Investigations
Investigations may include:
Expert assessments and veterinary input
Implementing of special conditions, such as: additional training or reassignment, veterinary inspections, unannounced spot checks, CCTV installation for ongoing monitoring.
The process may take days or weeks depending on the complexity, but cooperation and transparency accelerate resolution.
Upholding values
We understand how important the reputation of British agriculture is to the entire supply chain, particularly consumers, retailers and the farming community. Red Tractor members take their responsibility seriously and are proud to uphold the values our scheme represents.
The Red Tractor logo stands for something real: food produced responsibly, to high standards, by people who care.
The Future of Assurance: Setting the path for improvement
Red Tractor has committed to delivering improvements including streamlining assessments and reducing audit burden.
Simon Thorpe, Senior Technical Manager at Red Tractor explains the work already underway to ensure meaningful change for farmers and growers.
The last four months have been a busy time for Red Tractor’s operations team. The entire team is working hard to put in place the building blocks to enable us to improve the value and experience of Red Tractor assurance for farmers and growers. We understand the eagerness of many members to see change happen as soon as possible.
While we’ve already been rolling out many operational changes, such as improvements to the Red Tractor Member Portal and communications, we’ve also been taking the time to ensure we’re set up to deliver meaningful changes to requirements and assessments that provide the improvements you’ve asked for. Some examples of the work we’ve been doing:
Effective decision-making
As a multi-stakeholder, not-for-profit organisation, Red Tractor’s operations are directed and informed by a wide range of experts sitting on Sector Boards, Technical Advisory Committees and the Board of Directors. These groups include representatives from each farming sector, and importantly the entire supply chain, helping to ensure that Red Tractor delivers value to all.
Throughout the past 24 years, Red Tractor has worked hard to balance the needs and views of all stakeholders including retailers, processors, farmers and governments. Achieving consensus between these often-opposing perspectives can, however, be challenging. As a result, we’ve been working hard to instil a spirit of collaboration, trust and shared values within these groups, to ensure they function effectively so that all perspectives are considered.
After thorough consultation with those sitting on Sector Boards, new Terms of Reference have been developed for each group detailing the roles and expectations of representatives. The Terms of Reference are now close to final and will be published over the summer. As we move forward to identify and deliver improvements, this common understanding will be essential to establishing consensus and taking account of impacts of changes throughout the supply chain.
Clear ground rules for standards setting
As we identify potential changes to Red Tractor’s requirements, we’re mindful that there needs to be consistency and alignment on what these changes aim to achieve. A new policy for the development of Red Tractor Standards has been developed to guide Red Tractor’s approach to all future standards and operational reviews. This policy includes a clear vision and purpose for Red Tractor together with principles which will act as our north star for standards setting.
These include principles of clarity, practicality and objectivity of standards and assessment, together with a key focus on British provenance, food safety and animal welfare. The policy will be published on our website and available to all stakeholders as we work together to identify potential improvements.
Developing sector-specific strategies
Recognising that different farming sectors require different approaches, we’re developing sector-specific strategies that identify the priorities and objectives for that sector over the coming months and years. These strategies will take onboard feedback from stakeholders and set a path for delivering changes.
While all sectors will take stock of current scheme content and approach, focus and priorities will differ by sector. We can already see some sectors focusing on streamlining standards while others are placing greater emphasis on integrating technology or seeking to reduce overall audit burden.
Each Sector Board will take into account the need for meaningful consultation with opportunities for members to input into decision-making.
Initial discussions about these strategies took place during the July Sector Board meetings (find out more in the Sector Board summaries). Taking onboard initial feedback, we’ll be sharing more detailed strategies for consideration by Sector Boards in September, after which we hope to be able to share more details on the direction of travel within each sector.
As expressed in our response to the Farm Assurance Review, we’re committed to making change happen while prioritising key issues, allowing time for consultation and collaboration, and balancing speed with rigour.
Keep up to date with our progress in delivering our commitments atredtractor.org.uk/FAR.
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Nick Major, Red Tractor Poultry Sector Chair
Veryan Bliss, Red Tractor Fresh Produce Sector Chair
