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Farmers support Red Tractor Week campaign

Philip Case 18 September 2015
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Farmers have been out talking to shoppers across the country to encourage them to look for the Red Tractor logo and buy British.

About 100 farmers have been taking part in 20 events to mark Red Tractor Week (14-20 September), held outside supermarket stores to rally support from consumers.

Farmers talked to the public about the meaning behind the Red Tractor logo and distributed leaflets to raise awareness of the Trust the Tractor campaign.

See also: Red Tractor Week to celebrate great British food and farming

Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, Waitrose, The Co-operative, Lidl and Aldi all hosted events to mark the week outside stores in England, Scotland and Wales.

They were staged one month after dairy farmers took part in supermarket “milk trolley dashes” to protest against low milk prices.

As part of the week, farmers also displayed dozens of Red Tractor banners, measuring 15x4ft, on farm buildings carrying the message “Trust the Tractor”.

Farmers also harnessed the power of social media to tell the public what they do and why supporting Red Tractor is important, using the hashtag #TrustTheTractor on Twitter.

 

Dairy farmer Bryce Cunningham, who helped to co-ordinate the distribution of the Red Tractor banners among farmers in Scotland, said his farm had been a member of the assurance scheme since it began in the year 2000.

“If I was not in the Red Tractor scheme I could not sell my milk. It’s a prerequisite to be able to sell your milk in this area,” said Mr Cunningham, who runs a 120-cow dairy farm in Mauchline, Ayrshire.

“I think the public have finally found out what the Red Tractor means. But there is still nowhere near enough being done to promote the logo.

“There have been no TV ads or even a YouTube campaign. I guess it’s up to farmers to get out there and explain to the public what it means.”

NFU Scotland milk committee chairman Graeme Kilpatrick, from Craigie Mains, near Kilmarnock, brought along his own red tractor to reinforce the Trust The Tractor message at an event at Tesco Extra in Kilmarnock on Monday (14 September).

He said: “This campaign is all about letting shoppers know that the Red Tractor logo on their food tells them it has been produced on farms operating to some of the highest standards in the world.”

NFU dairy board chairman Michael Oakes, a dairy farmer in Worcestershire, who took part in an event in his county, said:  “We all know that the current dairy crisis has brought consumer support for our sector to the fore.

“All organisations involved in the crisis have repeatedly stressed that looking for the Red Tractor mark is a way of supporting British producers.

“As farmers and industry representatives alike, we are proud of our production standards and traceability, and I believe this does set us apart from competitors.”

He added that consumers recognised the Red Tractor logo, but the levels of understanding and values associated with the logo “lagged behind”.

But retailers could do more to advance the logo, he said, through more prominent labelling on front of packs and sign up of Red Tractor promotions.

There are about 80,000 farmers and growers in the UK committed to the aims of the Red Tractor scheme

The logo appears on ÂŁ12bn of food and drink each year and is supported by 96% of farmers.

Red Tractor campaigners in Kilmarnock

NFU Scotland Members kicked of the start of Red Tractor Week at Tesco Extra  in Kilmarnock on Monday (14 September). Graeme Kilpatrick, NFU Scotland Milk Committee Chairman, brought along his own red tractor to reinforce the message to “Trust The Tractor” campaign. Graeme, Tom and Heather Prentice and Allan Murray are pictured with Tesco staff.

Red Tractor campaigners outside Tesco Exeter

Flying the flag at the launch of Red Tractor Week 2015, Ladies in Beef co-founder Jilly Greed (far left) was joined by NFU South West members at Tesco’s Exeter Vale store on Monday.

Red Tractor campaigners in Dumfries

Tesco hosted a Red Tractor event in Dumfries on Friday (18 September). Pictured Left to right: Mark Stewart of Smallholmburn, Scott Kippen andLisa McKenzie of Tesco, farmers Richard McMinn and David Kincaid.

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