The new Red Tractor standards (version 5) came into force in November 2021. Although these changes have been in place for the best part of a year, audits are still coming thick and fast. It is important to familiarise yourselves with the changes and amendments to avoid non-conformances.
One of the most notable additions to all the Red Tractor schemes is the requirement to have a Health & Safety policy in place which is documented and communicated to staff members. New employees must also receive an induction to the farm, an explanation of their job role and reporting lines. This should be documented so you can demonstrate compliance with the new standard.
Changes to individual schemes include, but are not limited to, the following:
Beef & Lamb
For Beef & Lamb, one person must have undertaken a training course on safe use of medicines, your vet needs to have visited the farm at least once in the past year, and an annual collation of total antibiotic usage must also be recorded.
Dairy
In the Dairy scheme, each farm must now produce a written Breeding and Management policy, keep an annual collation of calf births and deaths, and have an up-to-date, documented calculation of slurry storage requirements.
Combinable Crops & Sugar Beet
There are only a small number of amendments to the Combinable Crops & Sugar Beet scheme, with the standards remaining largely the same. These revisions include a more implicit ban on toxic rat bait use in grain stores, and a what3words location references for grain stores. In July 2021, the requirement to complete a mass balance calculation per site was introduced. This refers to estimated records of OSR and grain stored per site, records of quantities which leave the site, and a reconciliation of the amount stored vs out loaded per harvest year. This standard is non-applicable if you don’t store grain.
Fresh Produce
For Fresh Produce, the updated standard now includes measures for ensuring the farm presents an acceptable and tidy appearance to the public. In addition to this, daily start-up checks are now required for harvesting operations, and if pest control is managed in-house, the responsible person must have received certified training. Amendments have also been made in relation to chemical storage, whereby a list of stored PPPs must be updated monthly to encourage improved stock control.
Pig & Poultry
Changes to the Pig scheme include the requirement to have a documented extreme weather contingency plan, records of tail biting incidents, and overall mortality figures. Anyone involved in the handling or care of pigs must now also complete online pig welfare training.
For chickens, the new standards include the provision of farm maps which detail the locations of first aid kits, fire extinguishers and water sources – in line with other poultry standards. A written policy relating to how and when bulk feed bins will be cleaned must be implemented, and similarly, a written medicated feed use procedure is also required which demonstrates how withdrawal periods are met.
From 1st October 2022 there will be further changes to the Pig & Poultry standards (Version 5.1). More information on scheme-specific standard changes is available on the Red Tractor website Getting Ready For Your Next Assessment – Red Tractor Assurance
If you require any further guidance or support with your Farm Assurance paperwork, we are on hand to help. For more information on our Farm Assurance service, please give us a call or visit our website Red Tractor Schemes | Farm Assurance | CXCS
