NFU denies logo is a fraud
13 June 2000
NFU denies logo is a fraud
by Alistair Driver
THE National Farmers Union has denied claims by a Member of the European Parliament that its new logo to promote British farm produce is a fraud
The British Farm Standard logo, which denotes hygiene, welfare and environment standards, was launched on Tuesday (13 June).
It will appear initially on 100 fresh food product lines, carried by 10 major retailers at 4,800 stores across the country.
But Jeffrey Titford, the MEP leader of the UK Independence Party, claimed that the logo, which shows a red tractor with blue wheels, was a gigantic fraud.
Producers from other countries will be able to pass off their food as British. Its a scandal, he said.
Mr Titford has given financial backing to a rival British made logo from GB Choice which shows a red, white and blue tick.
The NFU logo has also been criticised by some small farmers who fear it could marginalise them because it is too expensive to use.
The farm protest group Farmers for Action claims few small producers will use the logo because hardly any small abattoirs are approved to carry the label.
Many small abattoirs are put off by the 1000 it costs it costs to be approved by scheme licensing body, claims the organisation.
An FFA spokesman said many would have to transport livestock hundreds of miles to abattoirs that are approved by the scheme in order to use the logo.
This gives a big marketing advantage to supermarkets who are carrying the mark over farm shops, farmers markets and independent butchers, he said.
The spokesman said consumers would be misled into thinking that all produce sold under the mark was British because it denotes quality not country of origin.
NFU president Ben Gill hit back at the accusations, saying that all retailers in the scheme had assured him they would only use it on UK produce.
Mr Gill denied that small farmers, abattoirs and retail outlets would be sidelined by the scheme. The NFU claims it will cost 600 to join the scheme.
The NFU was determined to encourage use of the mark in farmers markets, farm shops and independent butchers, Mr Gill added.
He said the aim was to bring down the cost of joining the scheme for smaller abattoirs, but insisted that quality standards must be maintained at all times.
Rather than squabbling between ourselves the whole industry should get behind the scheme, said Mr Gill.