1. Assured Food Standards
Jonothan Draper
Trade Manager
Assured Food Standards
(Red Tractor)

2. Food Provenance
GCSE Food & Nutrition specification
Origin/source – Where foods are grown, reared or caught
Security – Assurance, traceability, quality & sustainability
Primary & Secondary stages of production
Considerations that affect choice
Food Provenance is knowing where your Food comes from. If food has a provenance story then there are parts of the story that the producer is proud of, whether is a type of production unique to the area or a specific recipe or breed of animal. In meat origin is about where it is grown or reared, security is about the safety aspects of the raising of animals and livestock and making sure that processes are followed and primary stage of production is the rearing and the secondary stage is the processing.

3. Origin/source - Livestock Farming in the UK
Cows/Cattle
Used to be used to pull ploughs as well as being a source of dairy and meat but now they are exclusively for dairy and beef. On average fully trimmed lean beef contains just 5% fat
After about 4 years dairy cows are mostly used for minced or processed beef products.
Before Tractors we had horses to pull the plough, before that we had cows, it was rarely, a small holding would have enough money to feed horses just to work, so the cow was a source of food and a worker too.

4. Origin/source - Feeding
Most beef cows are finished on the forage based system;
- Grazing Grass/Pastures
- Silage
- High energy concentrated food stuff to compliment
Two main methods of raising cattle
- Sell cattle at a younger age to be finished elsewhere
- Finish at birth holding
Nowadays cows are reared for dairy or for meat, in the summer months they are out grazing on pastures, but in winter when grass doesn't grow, they need housing and feeding with silage and a range of complimentary feedstuffs to manage their diet.
The main methods in raising cattle are simply to move them on as calves to be finished elsewhere or keep them on the birth farm and finish according to the farm plan.

5. Origin/source - Feeding
Dairy cows produce one calf a year, pregnancy lasts for 9 months
Only one calf remains replaces the mother after 4 years, other calves are sold for dairy or meat
Calves will either remain with the mother or be sold
Dairy cows are pregnant for 9 months then produce milk for 9 months after which they would be rested before becoming pregnant again, the calves would be segregated according to whether the calves were for dairy or meat, a mother will be a dairy cow for around 4 years and they will bare 4 calves. A female calf will be kept with the mother until she takes her place, the mother will then retire and usually be moved on for mince, the majority of mince sold in UK supermarkets is from dairy herds.

6. Pig Rearing in the UK
- Most popular breeds include large white and landrace cross females as the most efficient at producing lean meat.
Pigs in general are reared indoors in barns, over 40% of breeding pigs are kept outside
Pig diet- cereal grains, oilseed meals, and other by-products of the human food industry.
Outdoor pigs eat swedes, turnips 
- Gestation period - 3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days
Transferred to farrowing houses to protect the piglets and the mother
- Pigs reared for 6-7 months – around 100kg
Reared indoors in barns with open sides, natural ventilation and straw or slats to allow for drainage
Roughly 40% of breeding pigs are kept outside with huts/houses for shade and protection from the elements
A sow will be pregnant for 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days, a sow will give birth to 2 litters per year.
Sows give birth in a farrowing house either indoor or outdoor, they are in specially designed crates to protect the mother and piglets while they are suckling, they leave the mother after about 4 weeks to be reared in separate accommodation. Normally they are reared for between 6-7 months before going to the abattoir.
Adult pigs will feed on cereals like corn, and soya for carbohydrate and protein.
Gestation period is just shy if 4 months, 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days to be precise. A pigs life on the farm last around 7 months.

7. Sheep Rearing
Sheep breeds are chosen dependent on the landscape, sheep feed mostly on grass as they are outdoors more than other species
Most common breed in the UK is a cross bread, hillier areas such as Wales and Scotland will rear upland/moorland breeds
Mating occurs late in the summer, lambs are born between January to May
Lambs are weaned normally between 12 – 16 weeks of age
Some lambs will be selected for breeding
Sheep systems are typically based on grass grazing. The production system takes advantage of the natural grassing available and the fact that sheep can be outdoors all year round unlike cattle. Specific breeds will be used dependent on terrain, common lowland sheep breeds
They take advantage of the grass growth cycle throughout the year and sheep and lambs are typically kept outdoors for most of the year and brought indoors for management of the flock.
Typically lambs are born in the winter and spring months from January through to April. Lamb finishing times can vary due to the breed similarly to cattle production.
Farmers may choose to sell there lambs onto other farmers or may choose to finish the lamb themselves depending on their own production system.
Lambs can be grown on a variety of forage based systems and some choose to use supplementary concentrates to encourage lambs to grow at a faster rate. Typically lambs will be slaughtered between 5 and 10 months depending on the time it take for the animal to achieve their prime weight. It is in the interest of the farmer to ensure lambs meet market specification to achieve a higher price per kg.

8. Where does the meat in this mini roast come from?

9. What does the label tell us?
Country of Origin
Country of Slaughter – Site approval number
Handling Information
Accreditation
Product Safety information
We can trace the product back to its last place of processing and our audits tell us where its been farmed/produced.
Born/Reared
UK 6413 EC
Traceability
Origin; UK – Born or reared
Slaughtered: UK and Abattoir Ref number
Cutting location: UK
Cutting location
Slaughtered

10. What is required by law?
1 Product description/cut 2 Product weight 3 Storage temperature 4 Use by date (best before if frozen) • Supplier name (on outer packaging, not label) • Supplier address (on outer packaging, not label)
5 Batch number or traceability code 6 Country of origin 7 Country of slaughter/slaughterhouse approval number 8 Country of cutting/cutting plant approval number 9 Country of packing/packing plant number
Additional information (not required by law)
10 Handling information 11 Accreditation scheme mark 12 Product safety information 1 7 8 6 4 2 9
Required by law is highlighted in Red, additional non compulsory information is;
1 Product description/cut 2 Product weight 3 Storage temperature 4 Use by date (best before if frozen) • Supplier name (on outer packaging, not label) • Supplier address (on outer packaging, not label)
5 Batch number or traceability code 6 Country of origin 7 Country of slaughter/slaughterhouse approval number 8 Country of cutting/cutting plant approval number 9 Country of packing/packing plant number
Additional information (not required by law)
10 Handling information 11 Accreditation scheme mark 12 Product safety information
UK 4109 EC
UK 4109 EC 5 3

11. Passport corresponds to ear tag of animal
Traceability
Carcass tag
Passport
Passport corresponds to ear tag of animal
Cattle passport number
Weight
The ear tag number of an animal is linked to its own personal passport. The passport shows information of birth and all movements an animal undertakes up to slaughter. This information is recorded electronically making it easily accessible at any time when the information is needed. The last movement of the animal will be documented and up loaded on to a central database held by Defra (Department of Food and Farming)
Batch number
Grade
The carcass tag includes details of the animals individual passport number from which we are able to pin-point which farm the animal is from

12. Assigned Reference number
Traceability
The batch/unique reference number is used throughout the production process to follow the movements of a product at each point of the supply chain
Throughout the chain this unique reference number is used, it will record date and time of last movements and the handlers detail as well as the processors location.
Assigned Reference number
Labelled
Carcass tag

13. Everything can be sourced from UK origin

14. Who are we ?
British Retail Consortium
National Farmers Union
Agri/Horti Dev Boards
UK Dairy Board
So who is Red Tractor?
Launched in 2000, Red Tractor Assurance is now the largest farm and quality food assurance scheme in the UK. It encompasses food safety, traceability, hygiene, animal welfare and environmental protection.
The Red Tractor logo signifies responsibly produced food that is traceable from farm to pack. It can only be used on food that has been produced, packed, stored and transported to Red Tractor standards.
The logo includes a statement of origin; the Union flag in the logo provides assurances that the food has been farmed, processed and packed in the UK.
Products covered by Red Tractor Assurance schemes are:
• Fresh meat: beef, lamb, pork, chicken and turkey
• Further processed meat: bacon, ham and sausages
• Milk, cheese and other dairy products
• Fruit, vegetables, salad and potatoes
• Cereals, oilseeds, pulses and sugar
There are over 60,000 Red Tractor farms in the UK and over 700 businesses, including processors, packers and food service, licensed to use the logo on pack.
The Red Tractor logo is used extensively by major UK retailers and many branded manufacturers as well as 2,900 foodservice outlets; Red Tractor Assured products have a combined annual sales value of around £13 billion.
Established 2000, NFP, Sector Boards and Committees, Some Independents
88,846 farming members and 60,000 farm
inspections per year
We reach over 25 million consumers a year with promotions
Ever increasing coverage:
65% UK Consumer awareness

15. What do we do ?
Red Tractor is the largest food assurance scheme in the UK. It ensures the food you buy is traceable, safe to eat and has been produced responsibly – from farms to fork!

16. What do we do ?
Red Tractor is the largest food assurance scheme in the UK. It ensures the food you buy is traceable, safe to eat and has been produced responsibly – from farms to fork!
Food and drink bearing the Red Tractor logo has been produced to some of the most comprehensive and respected standards in the world.

17. What do we do ?
Red Tractor is the largest food assurance scheme in the UK. It ensures the food you buy is traceable, safe to eat and has been produced responsibly – from farms to fork!
Food and drink bearing the Red Tractor logo has been produced to some of the most comprehensive and respected standards in the world.
The Union Jack in the Red Tractor logo shows the food has been farmed, processed & packed in the UK

18. What do we do ?
Red Tractor is the largest food assurance scheme in the UK. It ensures the food you buy is traceable, safe to eat and has been produced responsibly – from farms to fork!
Food and drink bearing the Red Tractor logo has been produced to some of the most comprehensive and respected standards in the world.
The Union Jack in the Red Tractor logo shows the food has been farmed, processed & packed in the UK
Red Tractor cover an extensive range of products, including meat and poultry, breakfast cereals, dairy products and fruit & vegetables.

19. Food Safety Animal Welfare Traceability Environment
Red Tractor core focus is around Food Safety, Animal Welfare, Traceability and the Environment

20. Poultry; chicken and Turkey
Cattle, Sheep & Pigs
Assured Haulage
Assured Market/
Collection Centre
Assured Abattoir/
Processor
Assured final
product
Dairy
BRC/SALSA Approved
Processor
Assured final
product
Assured Feed
Assured Farm
Poultry; chicken and Turkey
Assuring Haulage is really important. On a working farm or cattle market there are many vehicles moving around the farm and lots of lorries from outside of the farm, if a vehicle is transporting livestock it’s important that it is clean and free from contamination, such as feed or waste.
Auction House is licensed and audited to measure Red Tractor inputs against outputs, the processor/packer is audited and the end product is labelled or if it’s a foodservice operation like a restaurant they would be licensed and therefore audited – so every stage is audited all the way from the farm to the plate.
Assured Transport
Assured Abattoir/
Processor
Assured final product
AFS Rearing
© AFS 2012

21. Understanding the accreditation logo
Standards complied to throughout the supply chain – from farm to pack
Products have met certain technical assurance standards
Members are independently audited
Assurances over product origin
Supports British farmers
Livestock is born, reared and slaughtered in the UK
On average there are over 120 different standards that must be complied with for each sector. Standards cover each sector across all species and are crops specific
These range from making sure that people handling food and farming are adequately trained.
All members are inspected and audited at least once a year. Red Tractor undertake more inspections than any other organisation in the UK whether a government agency or professional body.
The Union Jack gives you assurances over the products origin, and this includes every part of the chain, All feed for example has to be assured, no part of the licensed product can be moved overseas for processing and that includes the last stage of processing from imported meat. Imported meat does not qualify for the standard.
When you see the logo you know that the product has been farmed, finished, produced and packed in the UK.
Cereals and fresh produce are farmed in the UK
£13 billion worth of food and drink carrying the Red Tractor logo sold in supermarkets and food service outlets in the UK.

22. How is the Red Tractor mark controlled?
Who runs Red Tractor?
How is the Red Tractor mark controlled?
I have seen the Red Tractor logo on Halal chicken & lamb. What does this mean?
How do I know where Red Tractor food comes from?
Who runs Red Tractor?
Red Tractor Assurance is a small organisation, and its administrative costs are met by assurance fees and licence payments from farmers and food companies. We are owned by the food industry but we operate independently and on a not-for-profit basis.
We an independent chairman in charge of our affairs. This enables us to benefit from a wide range of experience and expertise without giving any one organisation or link in the supply chain undue influence.The interests represented on our board relate to each of the key links in the food chain, with representatives of the Farmers' Unions, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, Dairy UK and the British Retail Consortium. The Food and Drink Federation provides valued input. The Board also includes independent experts – prominent academics and specialist scientists, plus professionals representing consumers, veterinary science and the environment.
How is the Red Tractor mark controlled?
The Red Tractor is protected by trademark and only approved packers can use the logo. Food businesses must be licensed by Red Tractor Assurance (RTA) before they can use the logo. And the licensing rules give us the right to check packers and their supply chain to make sure that the logo is only appearing on food that meets the high standards.
I have seen the Red Tractor logo on Halal Lamb and Chicken– Is this Red Tractor?
All Red Tractor Meat must be stunned before slaughter without exception, so in short, Red Tractor meat is not Halal meat.  But some Halal meat could also be Red Tractor but only provided that it complies with all of our standards including stunning prior to slaughter.
Some people seem confused by the fact that Halal meat could also comply with mainstream standards. At Red Tractor whilst we are not responsible for Halal certification, we do know that the majority of Halal meat processed in this country is stunned before slaughter.  A report by the Government’s Food Standards Agency in 2012 indicated that 88% of Halal meat is stunned. So in short, Red Tractor meat is not Halal.  But some Halal meat could also be Red Tractor, provided that it complies with all of our standards including stunning prior to slaughter.
How do I know where Red Tractor food comes from?
By law, most food must be labeled with its country of origin on the label although this is not always easy to find. The Red Tractor logo includes a statement of origin in the flag device and when you see the Union Jack you can be sure the food has come from UK farms.

23. The decline in home cooking
Occasions (millions)
2013
2014
2015
Various factors affect choice at meal times, we have less and less time to prepare a sit down meal and so convenience is a primary driver, there is no sign of this trend changing but outside of convenience other factors affect choice.
OS in terms of percentages we’re looking at a little short of 10% decline over 2 years.

24. Range of factors affecting food choice
Enjoyment
Culture
Preference
Range of factors affecting food choice
Activity
Seasons
Prep time
Costs
Time of day
Availability

25. ALL GROWN/REARED UK