Following the Red Tractor Standards Consultation which closed in January, the Red Tractor Dairy TAC has met to consider all views that were submitted to the consultation and make any appropriate recommendations to the Red Tractor Dairy Board. The NFU Dairy Team consulted extensively with members, including through the Regional Dairy Boards prior to submitting a response to the consultation. As part of the TAC, we had been successful in arguing for a number of proposed new standards to be removed prior to the consultation launch.
There was robust debate from all sides at the TAC, which is made up of representatives from across the supply chain and wider industry and we are confident that our views have been taken into account.
The recommendations from the TAC will be taken to the Red Tractor Dairy Board, which is also made up of representatives from across the dairy supply chain and wider industry, including the NFU, before going to the Red Tractor Standards Committee to be agreed. Therefore, there can still be changes made to the proposed standards prior to farmers receiving a copy in July 2017, before the introduction of the new standards in October 2017.