Red Tractor is the certification that gives us all the confidence that the products we are buying and eating have achieved standards across a number of set requirements.

Raising animal welfare, protecting workers rights and enhancing environmental protection are the primary aims of the latest review of Red Tractor standards that members will have to meet from November 2021.

This will be the fifth major upgrade since the farm assurance scheme was introduced back in 2000 - the view being that, if the standard doesn’t evolve to meet consumer demands, the likelihood is that it will be disregarded and there will be less reason to support and buy British.

On animal welfare, there will be a greater emphasis on welfare outcomes linked to standards rather than just the inputs. This will include the housing structure and cleanliness offered to the animals, and it will also make clear what is and isn’t acceptable when handling animals.

Working welfare is another priority as it’s been suggested that the UK agriculture health and safety record is not great.

The third key change will be aimed at environmental protection, which will include DEFRA's new farming rules for water that will aim to reduce soil erosion and nutrient run off.

All the changes follow on from a year of discussion with all parts of the food chain and will continue to seek further evolution across all of the scheme's six sectors.

For more information on Red Tractor www.redtractor.org.uk