Last chance to have a say on UK farm assurance schemes

Grassroots farmers have until the end of the month to share their views on the UK’s various farm assurance schemes, when the AHDB’s survey on the way they operate closes.

The survey findings will feed into the independent review of farm assurance that has been commissioned by the farming unions and AHDB in the wake of last year’s turmoil surrounding Red Tractor.

See also: Independence of Red Tractor review under threat

The survey is being carried out by Promar, with input from Supply Chain InSites.

Topics covered include how farm assurance can deliver better value, how new standards are developed, and how scheme members are consulted and inspected.

Dr David Llewellyn, former principal of Harper Adams University who is leading the review, said at the time of the survey launch in July that commissioners wanted to engage with as many farmers as possible.

“This is your chance to tell us your experiences of farm assurance, so that we hear directly from the farming community,” he said.

But soon after, it emerged that the survey was none too robust as, for example, it allowed multiple responses and could not verify whether respondents were real farmers.

However, Promar said it was confident the survey would “elicit valuable insight for the industry”, adding that it had already addressed some of the points raised by Farmers Weekly.

The survey, which is anonymous and takes about 10-15 minutes to complete, closes on 31 August.