Red Tractor issued a consultation on 5th January which proposes changes to standards across six sectors: beef and lamb, poultry, pigs, dairy, fresh produce and combinable crops and sugar beet.
Proposed changes by sector:
Dairy
Animal husbandry
Under the proposals from November 2021, tethering as a management practice would no longer be permitted. Husbandry procedures have also been separated into a standalone section for ease of navigation and to highlight the importance of this area.
Animal medicines
The change in standards would encompass wider coverage of the medicines used by dairy farmers in the annual review, rather than just antibiotics as it is currently. The consultation is asking for views on requiring the antibiotic collated data to be uploaded to an industry medicine hub in the future to help demonstrate that Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance (RUMA) Targets Taskforce objectives are met.
Animal welfare
Welfare outcomes have been linked to standards. This includes housing structure and cleanliness. Red Tractor requirements around handling could be strengthened to make clear what is and isn’t acceptable under the proposals.
Beef & lamb
Animal husbandry
Under the proposals from November 2021, tethering as a management practice would no longer be permitted. Husbandry procedures have also been separated into a standalone section for ease of navigation and to highlight the importance of this area.
Animal medicines
Health planning could be strengthened to give Red Tractor members an insight into any issues at farm in a timely manner. Farmers would be asked to annually collate their total antibiotic use on the farm so that meaningful reviews can take place with their vet to reduce antibiotic use where appropriate.
The consultation is asking for views on requiring the antibiotic collated data to be uploaded to an industry medicine hub in the future to help demonstrate that RUMA Targets Taskforce objectives are met. A proposed new standard is for at least one person who is responsible for administering medicines to have undertaken training and hold a certificate of attendance or competence.
Animal health and welfare
A requirement to be part of a disease eradication programme for Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) would be upgraded from a recommendation to a full standard in 2023. Red Tractor requirements around handling could be strengthened to make clear what is and isn’t acceptable under the proposals.
The Consultation also includes proposals relating to animal welfare, worker welfare and environmental protection include:
- Animal Welfare: having welfare outcomes linked to standards including housing structure and cleanliness and making it clear what is and what isn’t acceptable when handling animals
- Worker Welfare: building worker welfare into the standards to ensure Red Tractor members are taking sensible steps to protect the safety and wellbeing of workers on farm
- Environmental Protection: inclusion of the Farming Rules for Water which aim to reduce soil erosion and nutrient run-off.
The agreed changes to the standards will be implemented in November 2021.
All of the information on the proposals and the consultation questions can be found here:
assurance.redtractor.org.uk/red-tractor-review-2021
The consultation and review closed on 5th March 2021 and the final FUW response can be found here.