Found only on British food and beverage products that have been certified to stringent standards on their full journey, from farms to supermarket shelves; the familiar Red Tractor is the flagship logo of British food and farming.
The logo means the food that people buy has been sourced responsibly and produced safely. It comes from animals and crops that have been well cared for, so consumers can purchase with confidence, which is good for British farmers too.
Launch of Red Tractor mark
Red Tractor was launched in 2000 as a world-leading food chain assurance scheme. It provides reassurance to consumers about the high standards of food produced in Britain.
Standards are based on best practice, science, evidence and legislation covering animal welfare, food safety, environmental protection and traceability. Some 50,000 farmers across Britain are accredited to Red Tractor's high standards.
Red Tractor accreditations form the basis of sourcing and buying specifications for major supermarkets, restaurant chains and household brands, while enabling customers to make an educated choice when purchasing products.
How have food standards adapted over time?
Before the Red Tractor mark was launched 21 years ago, British farmers had faced a string of challenges. They had been hit by salmonella, BSE, and foot and mouth; diseases that damaged both the farming industry and consumer confidence in the products on the shelves.
With that in mind, industry leaders and farmers joined forces to create Red Tractor, providing consistency and stability through a simple set of assured quality standards.
Today, all major supermarkets use Red Tractor standards for their food and beverages, as do many of the UK's leading restaurants. A massive £14 billion of British food and drink now carries the famous logo.
More than 450 independent inspectors carry out around 60,000 checks per year across the entire food supply chain. Once a farm is permitted to use the Red Tractor mark, it must maintain the same high standards for life. A farm can have its Red Tractor status suspended if it fails to continue to meet the requirements.
In 2012, when Great Britain hosted the Olympic Games, the event organisers supported the Red Tractor Scheme, which meant all food and drink suppliers had to be approved. This ensured the athletes, spectators and staff could enjoy quality British food that was safe, traceable and farmed with care.
Has the logo changed over the years?
The logo started out as a simple red tractor in 2000, at the launch of the Red Tractor Food Assurance Scheme, when Labour's Tony Blair was Prime Minister. The Union Jack was added to the logo in 2005. In 2020, celebrating the scheme's 20th anniversary, the logo was redesigned again to increase clarity and to further reassure consumers about Britain's world-leading standards.
There are various different Red Tractor labels for the many food and drink products within the scheme. The main Red Tractor label carries the words "Certified Standards" to let consumers know the product they are about to buy has met the scheme's criteria.
There are also individual Red Tractor labels for specific foods. For example, there are different labels for certified pork and beef. There are other labels for certified lamb and milk.
Today, Red Tractor-assured dairy farms in Britain account for 95% of all milk production.
When it comes to chicken products, the "Enhanced Welfare" logo certifies additional welfare requirements have been met, such as giving the chickens 28% more space than is required by European law and guaranteeing natural light for them.
The Red Tractor "Free Range" logo is for poultry products where the birds have spent at least half their life with access to an outdoor range. There is another different label for certified organic farm products
How does a farmer meet the Red Tractor standards?
The Red Tractor logo can be used only on food and beverages that are produced, transported, stored and packed to the appropriate standards, including the relevant licensing rules.
A panel of experts needs to agree on the standards in all farming sectors, including different types of livestock and crop farming, to ensure robust standards are maintained. Each sector has its own specific set of standards. These must be met before the farm can carry the Red Tractor logo on its produce.
Independent inspectors will appraise farms to determine whether they have met the required standards. For example, all Red Tractor cows must have their own passport, so the supply chain can be traced.
More than 90% of British poultry farms are Red Tractor assured today, a testament to the importance of the scheme.
Helping to maintain standards
Providing nationwide delivery; Griggs Agri stocks and supplies only the highest quality agricultural products for livestock and arable farming. We also supply fencing and timber, workwear, pet products, home and garden essentials and more.
Please read our FAQs for further information about our excellent range of products and services for the agriculture sector.