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Food is so much more than just another industrial commodity Food is so much more than just another industrial commodity
(7 months later)
It's disappointing that you report that the board of directors of the Red Tractor scheme includes some farmers and thereby leap to the conclusion that this means farmers are inspecting themselves (Report, 6 March). Yes, we have some producers on the board, we need their expertise; but they are well balanced by strong independent directors and solid expertise from food companies who buy farm products. It is silly to suggest that companies further down the food supply chain would be content with a rubber-stamping system when in reality they need a robust assurance about the standards of their suppliers. And we didn't need the recent horsemeat scandals to remind us of that.It's disappointing that you report that the board of directors of the Red Tractor scheme includes some farmers and thereby leap to the conclusion that this means farmers are inspecting themselves (Report, 6 March). Yes, we have some producers on the board, we need their expertise; but they are well balanced by strong independent directors and solid expertise from food companies who buy farm products. It is silly to suggest that companies further down the food supply chain would be content with a rubber-stamping system when in reality they need a robust assurance about the standards of their suppliers. And we didn't need the recent horsemeat scandals to remind us of that.
Nor do our directors actually inspect the farms. All inspection and certification decisions are conducted by independent third-party companies. We insist that they follow the international standard for certification (EN45011) and they must be subject to oversight by the UK Accreditation Service. One of the key criteria of EN45011 is impartiality. Similar accreditation is used to support the robustness of a whole range of inspection and testing activities, such as forensic science and drug testing laboratories. If further proof was needed of our effectiveness, independent research by a UK university has shown that farms in certification systems such as Red Tractor have a significantly better record of compliance with legal requirements.
David Clarke
Chief executive, Red Tractor Assurance		Nor do our directors actually inspect the farms. All inspection and certification decisions are conducted by independent third-party companies. We insist that they follow the international standard for certification (EN45011) and they must be subject to oversight by the UK Accreditation Service. One of the key criteria of EN45011 is impartiality. Similar accreditation is used to support the robustness of a whole range of inspection and testing activities, such as forensic science and drug testing laboratories. If further proof was needed of our effectiveness, independent research by a UK university has shown that farms in certification systems such as Red Tractor have a significantly better record of compliance with legal requirements.
David Clarke
Chief executive, Red Tractor Assurance
• It's a scandal that members of the EU agricultural committee have watered down the commission's proposed reforms of the common agricultural policy. Tomorrow, the EU plenary session will vote on the next CAP, in effect controlling how Europe produces its food and manages its agricultural land for the next seven years. Their proposed reforms showed that the commission realised the damage done by the EU agricultural policy over the past 50 years – depleted soils, reduced standards of animal welfare, ever higher levels of chemical fertiliser and pesticides, shrinking wildlife habitats, higher risk of species extinction, dangerous reduction of the bee population and increased industrialisation of our food – and the horsemeat scandal has underlined the dangers inherent in treating food as an industrial commodity.• It's a scandal that members of the EU agricultural committee have watered down the commission's proposed reforms of the common agricultural policy. Tomorrow, the EU plenary session will vote on the next CAP, in effect controlling how Europe produces its food and manages its agricultural land for the next seven years. Their proposed reforms showed that the commission realised the damage done by the EU agricultural policy over the past 50 years – depleted soils, reduced standards of animal welfare, ever higher levels of chemical fertiliser and pesticides, shrinking wildlife habitats, higher risk of species extinction, dangerous reduction of the bee population and increased industrialisation of our food – and the horsemeat scandal has underlined the dangers inherent in treating food as an industrial commodity.
It's appalling that MEPs on the agricultural committee will be voting to reduce the green reforms of the CAP proposed by the commission. They have no mandate for this and it is clear that most citizens of the EU want a more eco-sensitive agricultural policy for the sake of their health. Unfortunately it seems MEPs are more concerned about the interests of large agri-industry companies and, as a result, Europe's farmland will be degraded and depleted for another seven years.
Tracy Worcester
Founder, Farms Not Factories		It's appalling that MEPs on the agricultural committee will be voting to reduce the green reforms of the CAP proposed by the commission. They have no mandate for this and it is clear that most citizens of the EU want a more eco-sensitive agricultural policy for the sake of their health. Unfortunately it seems MEPs are more concerned about the interests of large agri-industry companies and, as a result, Europe's farmland will be degraded and depleted for another seven years.
Tracy Worcester
Founder, Farms Not Factories
• So we have confirmation that eating processed meats such as bacon and sausages can shorten your life (Report, 7 March). Bad news for the greasy spoons? At my local cafe I was amazed to see workmen, students and families still tucking into large, all-day breakfasts of bacon, sausage, eggs, beans etc. "Will they never learn?" I thought, as I tucked into my bacon and sausage.
Barbara MacArthur (86)
Cardiff		• So we have confirmation that eating processed meats such as bacon and sausages can shorten your life (Report, 7 March). Bad news for the greasy spoons? At my local cafe I was amazed to see workmen, students and families still tucking into large, all-day breakfasts of bacon, sausage, eggs, beans etc. "Will they never learn?" I thought, as I tucked into my bacon and sausage.
Barbara MacArthur (86)
Cardiff
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