Red Tractor terminates dairy farm membership after TV show exposes abuse

Red Tractor has removed a dairy farm from its assurance scheme after a BBC Panorama programme exposed shocking abuse of livestock by workers on the farm.

The programme, A cow’s life: The true cost of milk, included scenes of cows being repeatedly kicked and punched, calves being tipped out of a tractor bucket, and a dying cow left unattended for 24 hours.

See also: Dairy farmers frustrated by poor welfare shown in TV report

The farm was suspended by Red Tractor after the programme aired on Monday 14 February, pending an investigation.

In a statement issued on Thursday 17 February, Red Tractor said the farm’s dairy scheme membership had been terminated with immediate effect.

“The undercover footage showed serious breaches of Red Tractor standards and the law, demonstrating a systematic disregard for animal welfare by those with a duty of care,” the statement said.

“Red Tractor’s system of routine farm inspections and unannounced spot checks go a long way to ensuring compliance with our standards.

“Where there is a clear violation of our membership rules and our standards are not upheld, a farm will be terminated from our scheme.”

Good practice

Red Tractor added that the three other farms featured in Panorama’s programme were assured by its scheme and represented good farming practices.

“Red Tractor assures more than 11,000 dairy farms which meet robust standards on animal welfare, environmental protection and food safety.

“The unacceptable actions of staff on one farm in no way represents the vast majority of UK dairy farmers or British agricultural practice,” the statement added.

Farmers on social media were quick to condemn the shocking abuse, but also defended the dairy industry’s high animal welfare standards, considered by many to be among the best in the world.

Heavy cost

The loss of Red Tractor status will cost the business dear, said dairy industry commentator Chris Walkland.

“Based on my market intelligence, I estimate that milk that can’t go for processing and has to go for animal feed is worth just 10p/litre – even less if if goes for anaerobic digestion,” he said.

“Depending on how long he is barred from Red Tractor, he could be looking at a loss in milk sales of hundreds of thousands of pounds, which could collapse his business.”