²ÝÁñÉçÇø

Red Tractor should drop its controversial Greener Farms Commitment (GFC) module and instead adopt a more transparent approach which works better for farmers, according to UK farming unions and levy body AHDB.

Issuing a joint response today (March 5) following the findings of the independent review into governance at Red Tractor by Campbell Tickell, the organisations - which make up a section of Red Tractor's ownership body - said they ‘strongly recommended' that the GFC development was ‘discontinued'.

The statement continued: "It is for the Assured Farm Standards (AFS) Board to consider and agree in what form, and when, it should commission work on sustainability standards. We recommend that any development must evidently and transparently work with all constituencies across the food and farming supply chain, learning from the distinctions across UK agriculture and horticulture, and particularly sectors with clear demand."

Read more: Red Tractor crossed the 'red line' on environmental module introduction

The groups offered six advisory messages in total but insisted they would continue to support the ‘basic objectives that established and underpin the role of Red Tractor'.

While they said they believed the assurance body should retain its position as a ‘principal standard of choice' for producers and retailers in the UK, the parties made it clear Red Tractor's board and leadership team should ‘move swiftly to implement' the governance recommendations contained in the Campbell Tickell's report to ensure it can begin to ‘rebuild trust with its farming constituency'.

Chair of AHDB Nicholas Saphir said now was the time for everyone involved with Red Tractor and other assurance bodies to ‘hold an open debate and to take a breath', while the greater role of assurance bodies was re-evaluated.

Mr Saphir said he expected the second wider review, which will consider organisations including Leaf and the RSPCA, to begin in the coming weeks.

"Assurance in itself is vital and Red Tractor has done a super job over the past 20 years in getting consumers to recognise British provenance," Mr Saphir said. "But the GFC sparked off issues which have been simmering for some time.

"²ÝÁñÉçÇø need to feel comfortable and confident and GFC revealed a lack of communication between RT and its members. We know sustainability will be a larger part of food production in the future but farmers need to be engaged if any change is going to be meaningful and adopted. Not only that but it  has to show value."

The groups offered six advisory messages in total and said they would continue to support the ‘basic objectives that established and underpin the role of Red Tractor and that it should retain its position as a ‘principal standard of choice' for producers and retailers in the UK.

Read more: Controversy over Red Tractor 'hardest time' for NFU president

However, the parties made it clear Red Tractor's board and leadership team should ‘move swiftly to implement' the governance recommendations contained in the Campbell Tickell's report to ensure it can begin to ‘rebuild trust with its farming constituency'.

"Rebuilding that trust is absolutely essential, said NFU president Tom Bradshaw. "Once the trust is rebuilt, then the conversation needs to happen with the industry on what it is we need to deliver, why we need to deliver and how we deliver that and do it with the farming industry."

In response, a spokesperson for Red Tractor said the board was considering every aspect of the report and that the GFC remained on hold.

"This process is clearly a priority and will be completed properly before any decisions are taken on next steps." 

"The Governance Review is an essential opportunity for us to reflect and refresh the way Red Tractor delivers its role for all stakeholders. Balancing differing views across the supply chain is difficult at any time, but we hear loud and clear the level of frustration farmers feel in the current operating environment, and we will listen carefully and take these views into account," the spokesperson added.