Red Tractor says progress on reviewing poultry standards and improving farm assurance has been recognised in the latest report from the independent Farm Assurance Review commissioner.
The assurance scheme has spent the past 14 months introducing measures designed to reduce audit burden, improve communication with farmers and carry out a line-by-line review of standards across all sectors, including poultry.
Nick Major, chair of Red Tractor’s Poultry Sector Board, said he had been “hugely impressed” by the industry’s response to the review recommendations, highlighting the collaborative work of the Poultry Sector Board and Technical Advisory Committee in identifying sector priorities and reviewing standards.
Among the changes introduced are greater collaboration with other assurance schemes to reduce duplicate audits, upgrades to the Red Tractor Member Portal and closer integration with farm management software to streamline audit preparation.
Red Tractor has also strengthened assessor training and engagement with certification bodies in a bid to improve consistency and the on-farm audit experience.
The organisation said survey results from 2,000 farmer members showed 64% rated Red Tractor’s transparency as good or excellent, while 63% gave the same rating for audit efficiency.
Looking ahead, Red Tractor plans to consult farmers and industry stakeholders on proposed new standards in autumn 2026. New chief executive Paul McLaughlin, who recently attended the Pig & Poultry Fair, said meeting farmers at industry events would remain a key part of gathering feedback as the review process continues.