Throughout the 2026 show season, Red Tractor is stepping out from behind the desk and getting into the field. From early May through to late summer, we want to have meaningful conversations with the farmers at the heart of the scheme.

We’ll kick things off at the Pig & Poultry Fair in early May, followed by the NBA Beef Expo later that month. June sees us heading to Cereals and the Festival of Fresh, before rounding off with the NSA Sheep Event at the end of July.

You’ll also spot the team on the road at Balmoral, the Royal Highland Show and the Royal Welsh Show, ensuring we’re present across all corners of the UK.

Where to find us:

• 13th & 14th May – Pig & Poultry Fair, NEC Birmingham.
• 30th May – NBA Beef Expo, Melton Mowbray Mart, Leicestershire.
• 10th June – Festival of Fresh, G’s, Cambridgeshire.
• 10th & 11th June – Cereals, Diddly Squat Farm, Oxfordshire.
• 28th July – NSA Sheep Event, Malvern, Worcestershire.

Our new CEO, Paul McLaughlin, will be at the NFU stand at this year’s Pig & Poultry Fair on 13 May between 12.15 – 1.15 and 4.00-5.00pm.

But this year isn’t just about attending events, it’s about the conversations we have when we’re there.

Ensuring standards reflect modern farming

The future direction of Red Tractor only works if it reflects what’s happening on farm. That’s why listening directly to farmers is so important, especially as we continue progressing the recommendations of the Farm Assurance Review and the Standards Review programme. Farmer and grower input ensures any changes are practical, workable, and grounded in day-to-day farm life.

Ready to listen

That’s why we’re making a real effort this year to be present, open, and ready to listen. Whether you have specific concerns, practical suggestions, or simply want to understand more about how the scheme works, the team will be there for honest, two-way conversations.

These discussions shape what we do, influencing how standards evolve and how we communicate, all in a way that stays rooted in real farming experience.

As households across the UK prepare to celebrate Easter over the long weekend, Red Tractor is highlighting the role its food standards play in helping shoppers make confident choices, at Easter and throughout the year.

Easter remains one of the nation’s favourite moments to slow down and savour the comfort of home cooking. Consumers can mark the occasion by looking for the logo when shopping and picking up ingredients that are trusted and certifiably British.

Standards consumers can trust

The Red Tractor logo is a familiar sight in supermarkets and products carrying the mark meet some of the most comprehensive food assurance standards in the world. This ensures they are traceable, responsibly sourced and regularly checked by independent assessors.

When shoppers choose Red Tractor, they’re choosing:

• Traceability: Every Red Tractor assured product can be traced back through its supply chain to the farm where it was produced.
• Independent assurance: Regular, rigorous assessments give consumers confidence in how their food has been grown, cared for and prepared.
• Responsible sourcing: Red Tractor standards cover food safety, animal welfare and environmental protection. This helps support farmers, safeguard animals and help protect the planet.

Seasonal staples all year round

While Easter is a natural moment to celebrate British food, Red Tractor’s work also covers every season. From summer barbecues to autumn roasts and festive winter favourites, the logo helps households shop with confidence all year long.

Whatever the time of year, the standards behind the Red Tractor mark remain consistent and trusted.

As Easter weekend approaches, Red Tractor is encouraging shoppers to keep an eye out for the logo. Whether it’s ingredients for hot cross buns or a weeknight family meal, the logo offers a straightforward way to choose traceable, independently assured British food.

For Abbie Condon, a typical day usually involves the meticulous world of Red Tractor farm assurance and supply chain traceability. Recently, Red Tractor’s Operations Manager has traded her laptop screen for the glittering stage of the Birmingham Hippodrome, securing a Golden Buzzer on the 19th series of Britain’s Got Talent (BGT).

A major step outside of the comfort zone

As a member of the Hawkstone Farmers Choir, Abbie was part of the moving performance of “One Day Like This” that sent the group straight to the live semi-finals. Abbie, who lives just minutes from Jeremy Clarkson’s pub, The Farmer’s Dog, has a unique link to the project – she used to organise Jeremy’s own farm audits.

Abbie has worked in farm assurance for ten years. Her role involves coordinating traceability audits to ensure that products carrying the Red Tractor logo can be traced back to assured British farms, ensuring food is safe, traceable and farmed with care.

Abbie admits that singing in front of people was a major step outside of her comfort zone. “I love music and singing although don’t normally sing in front of people – I’m all about the car-karaoke” she laughed.

Bringing together the farming community

Beyond the entertainment, the choir serves as a vital outlet for its members. Abbie joined the group during a difficult time in 2025, finding that the community of like-minded agricultural professionals provided a significant boost to her mental health. The Hawkstone Farmers Choir brings together people from across the UK farming community who share a connection to agriculture and a love of singing, and for Abbie, it is a chance to “fly the flag” for the industry she has supported for a decade.

“I had a bit of a tough time in spring 2025…I saw the Facebook post and thought what a great way to distract me from what’s going on – and it certainly has!” Abbie explains. “It is such a privilege to be able to project British agriculture into the face of the nation that wouldn’t necessarily see us, and be able to tell our story.”

A vital support network

While the BGT success has been a whirlwind, the choir’s core mission remains raising awareness for mental health and suicide prevention within the agricultural sector. The group, which originally formed for a project with Jeremy Clarkson’s Hawkstone brand, serves as a vital support network for those facing the isolation and pressures of rural life.

Abbie and the Hawkstone Farmers Choir are now preparing for the live semi-finals and a series of new projects throughout 2026.

Jeremy Clarkson has used his Sunday Times column to call out apparent double standards in public sector food procurement.

Writing about the use of imported chicken in school meals, he described it as ‘staggering’ that food produced overseas can undercut locally produced British chicken.

Look for the logo to ensure produce has come from a British farm

He urged consumers wanting to buy British to look for the Red Tractor logo to ensure produce has come from a British farm and in doing so, highlighted the ‘lengths farmers go to, to produce high UK standards’, while competing with imports produced to very different ones.

He acknowledged that while meeting assurance requirements can feel demanding at times, it results in farms that are ‘clean, efficient and well-run, with animals properly cared for’.

Giving consumers confidence

Responding, Jim Moseley, CEO of Red Tractor, said: “Producing food to high standards doesn’t come without effort, but it’s something British farmers should be proud of. That commitment is what underpins the reputation of British food.

“Red Tractor exists to make that work visible. It gives consumers confidence that the food they’re buying is safe, traceable and responsibly produced here in the UK.

“It’s encouraging to see that recognition reflected in Clarkson’s comments. When he tells shoppers to ‘look for the little Red Tractor’, it reinforces the trust that consumers already place in British food and the standards behind it.

“Most importantly, it recognises the people behind it – British farmers.”

The importance of backing farmers who deliver high standards

Red Tractor is the UK’s largest food assurance scheme, with more than 40,000 farmers committed to producing food to rigorous standards covering animal welfare, food safety, traceability and environmental protection.

Clarkson’s comments reflect a growing understanding of how food is produced – and the importance of backing farmers who deliver high standards every day.

Mr Moseley adds: “I genuinely hope farmers take pride in this recognition – because it is truly deserved.”

This article was first published in British Dairying in March 2026.

Farm Assurance Assessor Jim Franklin explains how he carries out Red Tractor assessments and supports farmers in the process.

Having spent 30 years milking a herd of 150 Holstein Friesian cows, calving all year round, there’s no place I’d rather be than out on the farm, working with farmers. After leaving dairy farming, I was unsure what to do next, but my role as a Red Tractor assessor has allowed me to stay connected and support farmers in the sector. It’s opened my eyes to the different systems and innovative practices being used across the agricultural industry.

I typically visit one site a day to give farmers a good amount of time, and to ensure I don’t rush the process. This also means that every day offers something different, which I thoroughly enjoy. I travel the Scottish Borders, across Wales, down to Oxford and to Somerset, meeting farmers from dairy, beef, lamb, and arable sectors. They’re all working hard to produce high-quality British food in their own way – because of who they are, where they are and what they’re trying to achieve on their farm.

My preparation starts well before I set foot on a farm. About three weeks before each assessment, I will ring the farm to confirm the booking and details. During this call, I also check if they’re using the Red Tractor portal, which offers a great way to help prepare for an assessment. It’s not a requirement, but if they’re using the portal, I check they’re aware of its features and ask farmers to make sure their documents are uploaded 48 hours in advance of my visit to their farm.

It’s important to establish a positive relationship with farmers

This ensures I have time to review everything before I arrive. On the day of the assessment, I make sure I have the farm details ready, and all the essentials packed – a fully charged laptop, checklist, the Red Tractor standards, pen and paper, a clean pair of wellies and waterproofs.

When I arrive on the farm, the first step is to introduce myself to the farmer and explain exactly what I’m there to carry out, and the order for the next two to three hours. It’s important to establish a positive relationship with the farmers I assess.

I know they take pride in what they do, so I listen and reassure them that my role isn’t to catch anyone out. My job is to record the high standards they’re working to through consistent protocols, and a fair and open dialogue.

Understanding requirements

I am there to learn about how they farm, to share knowledge, and to aid their understanding of what the requirements of the standards are, which, when delivered with politeness, honesty, and a willingness to listen, is received positively. By the time I’m suited up, I have a good idea of how the farm is run and its layout, and the farmer knows what I’m there to look for.

I then start the walk around the farm, generally going from clean to dirty, beginning in the parlour, then moving to the cows, medicine cabinets, calf rearing, and so on. Next, we undertake a couple of audit trails – usually over a cup of tea – which involve reviewing the necessary paperwork and documentation used to capture objective evidence within the requirements of the standard.

During this closing meeting, I provide a summary of what we’ve seen and any non-conformances that need addressing. This is the time to answer any final questions and try to support the farmer as much as possible.

Even with my background in dairy farming, as a self-employed farm assurance assessor, I know that I need to keep learning to stay current. I’m regularly assessed to ensure that my knowledge is up-to-date.

Every five years I undergo animal welfare training with AssureWel and partake in annual mobility scoring exams with the Register of Mobility Scorers (RoMS). In addition, I have a witnessed assessment every two years, where a senior assessor accompanies me on farm to observe my work.

I also use the Red Tractor Online Academy and participate in webinars to make sure I’m aware of any changes in standards and protocols across the dairy, beef, lamb and crop sectors. My experience as a dairy farmer has proved to be one of the biggest assets in my role, particularly as one of the main misconceptions about assessors is that they don’t have the agricultural knowledge and experience.

Empathy with farmers

On top of my knowledge, 30 years in farming has allowed me to emphasise with the farmers I meet. I know what it’s like to feel nervous about an assessment, and to be on the other side of the table, having been through the same process myself. But I believe this experience makes me better at what I do.

On most occasions, I know the mindset I’m walking into, and the challenges farmers are facing, meaning I can approach each assessment with an understanding that every farm is unique. I’m proud to still be part of the industry I’ve always cared about, and if I can help farmers feel supported, confident and recognised for the standards they work hard to achieve, then I know I’m doing my job well.