Proud to Farm
There’s no such thing as just a farmer
Farmers and growers are food producers, business owners, mechanics, crop specialists, livestock experts and custodians of the countryside. Every day, they bring skill, knowledge and care to producing British food and drink.
Proud to Farm is a new farmer-led film celebrating the people behind our food. Told through the voices of farmers and growers working to Red Tractor standards, it captures the pressure, responsibility, rewarding moments and pride that come with doing the job well.
“British farmers and growers are producing food against an incredibly challenging backdrop, and we believe their contribution deserves to be recognised and championed.”
Paul McLaughlin, Chief Executive, Red Tractor
Watch our ‘Proud to Farm’ video
Skill, responsibility and pride
No two days in farming are the same. Weather changes, machinery breaks, livestock need attention and important business decisions must be made, often at short notice.
Handling those challenges takes knowledge, adaptability and resilience. It also takes an enduring commitment to caring for livestock, crops and the countryside, while producing the food people rely on.
Red Tractor assurance helps make that work visible, giving people confidence in the care, responsibility and standards behind British food and drink.
Meet the farmers
At the heart of Proud to Farm are real farmers and growers sharing their experiences in their own words.
Their farms, sectors and stories are different, but each reflects the skill and commitment involved in producing British food and the pride that comes from doing the job well. in the care, responsibility and standards behind British food and drink.
Lee Gilbert, Pigs and Beef
“Building a farm from the ground up has taken commitment, resilience and pride in doing the job well.”
Lee is a first-generation farmer in Shropshire who runs a pig and beef enterprise alongside his steel-frame buildings business. Since buying his first land in 2015, he has built a 2,000-pig and 400-strong beef enterprise. For Lee, Red Tractor assurance is a “seal of approval” for the standards he and his team work hard to maintain.
Matt Duggan, Crops and Beef
“The countryside wouldn’t look anything like it does if it wasn’t farmed.”
Matt farms with his family at Stanley Bank Farm in Herefordshire and runs a contract spraying business. Their mixed enterprise includes arable crops, cattle and cider apples. He is exploring regenerative methods to improve soil health and reduce inputs, with a strong focus on caring for the land and countryside for the future.
Will Roobottom, Lamb and Crops
“Farming means taking responsibility for livestock, land and the future of the farm.”
Will is a sheep and arable farmer at Cowley Hill Farm in Staffordshire, where his family has farmed for generations. Alongside its hay and haylage business, he has built a pedigree Lleyn flock and recently taken on his own farm. Red Tractor assurance reflects the care, responsibility and hard work behind continuing that legacy.
Will Woodhall, Fresh Produce and Potatoes
“Being proud to farm is what gets me up every day.”
Will has farmed since he was 14 and is farm manager at Woodhall Growers in Staffordshire. The business grows organic and conventional crops, from potatoes and cereals to pumpkins and sunflowers. He takes pride in producing quality food efficiently, avoiding waste and seeing a strong crop reach supermarket shelves.
Charles Goadby, Dairy, Beef and Crops
“British farming has nothing to be ashamed of, only to be proud of.”
Charles farms 1,350 acres with his family, producing milk, beef and arable crops. He wants people to understand where British food comes from and have confidence in the standards behind it. For Charles, pride also means leaving the farm in a better place for the next generation and encouraging farmers to tell their story.
Leanne Balsdon, Fresh Produce
“Pride means producing high-quality British fruit and supporting British agriculture.”
Leanne is Technical Manager at Lower Hope Fruit, where the team grows cherries and raspberries for the British market. Her work centres on audits, compliance and quality. Red Tractor assurance helps give customers confidence in the quality and provenance of the fruit, while reflecting the standards the team maintains through every season.
Beth Pickup, Beef and Lamb
“Being proud to farm means helping people understand the care behind every animal.”
Beth grew up around beef and sheep farming in Lancashire and has shown cattle from an early age. She values the passion and sense of purpose farming brings. Her story focuses on caring for livestock and helping more people understand the work involved in raising animals and producing British food.
Sam and Livvy Davies, Arable
For Sam and Livvy, being proud to farm means being part of the farming community, caring for the land and leaving it in good shape for future generations.
Both are passionate about British agriculture and the importance of giving consumers confidence in where their food comes from. Through Livvy’s work, she also sees first-hand the role Red Tractor assurance and British provenance play in demonstrating the standards behind British food production.
Why Proud to Farm matters
Around three-quarters of UK agricultural production is covered by Red Tractor assurance, with the logo appearing on more than £18 billion worth of British food and drink.
Farmers have told us they want Red Tractor to do more to champion British farming and help people understand the skill, care and high standards behind the food they buy. Proud to Farm is one way we are responding. By sharing authentic farmer voices, we want to help more people recognise the many skills involved in farming and appreciate the contribution farmers and growers make every day.
Watch Proud to Farm
Hear directly from the farmers and growers behind British food and drink.
To everyone producing food for the nation: thank you.