Have you seen the Red Tractor?

Who are the Red Tractor?

They are a non-profit company dedicated to improving the quality of your food and drink you eat. They make sure that the food is traceable, safe and farmed with care so that everyone can feel confident and good about their choices when eating out and shopping.

What do Red Tractor do?

Established in 2000 after a spate of food scares, which included BSE and outbreaks of salmonella, Red Tractor was created to transform and rebuild trust in British farming and food quality, by improving standards of safety and quality for UK-farmed food. They are the UK’s largest food standards scheme and the only one to cover all areas of food production from animal welfare and food safety to tractability and environmental protection. Simply put, from farm to the packet.

Them employ independent companies to undertake Red tractor inspections, to ensure that they are outside of industry influence and impartial. Their team of assessors perform more than 60’000 checks a year across the supply chain to safeguard how animals are tended to, how fresh produce is grown and how their standards are being followed from field to basket for food and drinks that carry the logo in stores and restaurants.

Their standards are considered to be the industry benchmark, with all major supermarkets using them as part of their food sourcing and supplier specifications.

How does the Red Tractor work?

They are a non-for-profit company set up by the UK food industry and rebuild trust in the British farming and food quality. They are an independent with their own staff and corporate board which includes experts from all farm and food sectors, animal health and welfare.

The costs of running the Red Tractor are met by fees and licence payments from farmers and food companies. All Red Tractor assessments are carried out by independent companies to ensure that they are outside of industry influence and impartial.

Where can you buy Red Tractor Food?

Red Tractor food is available from all major UK supermarkets and a growing number of restaurants and pubs when eating out. As their standards cover a vast number of UK food and drinks, you can find them on meat, fruit, vegetable and dairy as well as on prepared foods such as ready meals, ,breakfast cereals, bread and even beer! Look out for the Red Tractor on food packaging and on menus.

How do you know if the Red Tractor label is being used correctly?

The Red Tractor label can only be used on ingredients for farmers, growers and food processors that have been inspected and certified to their standards. Food business must be approved and licensed by Red Tractor before they can use their label. Packers must keep records of incoming food from Red Tractor farms to share at their assessments and allow full tractability back to the farms origin.

They conduct more than 60’000 checks each year to regularly ensure their farms, packers, processors and the whole supply chain for any products carrying their label meet the standards they set.