NPA chief executive Lizzie Wilson has set out the pig industry’s priorities for changes to how farm assurance should operate in the UK to the commissioners carrying out the review.
Visit SiteShe told then the number one priority for British pig producers is to reduce the number of inspections that take place on farms, including better use of earned recognition, while there is also a need to improve the consistency of inspections and to streamline the process, with better use of technology.
Mrs Wilson met with the review commissioners last Wednesday, the day after the NPA’s latest Pig Industry Group (PIG) meeting in London, where the UK assurance review was discussed.
Pig producers from across the country acknowledged the importance of farm assurance, but highlighted their frustration at how the volume of inspections, particularly the retail audits, has got out of hand.
NPA chairman Rob Mutimer said: “I see real benefit to our business from Red Tractor and RSPCA Assured. However, when we were first assured, we were only inspected by Red Tractor, but now its Red Tractor, RSPCA Assured and two retailers.
“There are questions about whether we, as a sector, can continue like this. I believe we have seen as many independent pig farmers leave this industry because they can’t cope with bureaucracy as we have done due to financial issues.”
He suggested there was plenty of scope for Red Tractor and RSPCA Assured to work more closely together on common areas to ease the burden and called for better use of ‘earned recognition’.
“On our butchery business, we are assured by the Food Standards Agency. We are graded and if you get a high score, you can reduce the number of audits and paperwork over the next year.
“If there is one audit a year, regardless of whether you are good, bad or indifferent, it can become a box-ticking exercise. But if you don’t want to see the auditor for two years, you make a big effort to make sure your systems are right – and that can drive better standards.”
Frustration
His points were echoed by other producers on PIG. One said: “The thing that really frustrates me is that we have Red Tractor and then we get inspected by three retailers. What is the point in all of them? Surely, there could some be more joined-up thinking where Red Tractor can cover more of that off?”
Another added: “The big aggravation for me is the supermarkets inspections at different times, often time without a pattern, and looking for other things. If there was a way around doing that, it would be beneficial, but how you could do it, I don’t know.”
A processor representative said better use needed to be made of technology to streamline the inspection process and paperwork in the main assurance schemes, a point backed up by producers across the group.
Streamline inspections
Lizzie fed all of this into her meeting with the commissioners. “I highlighted the strong desire from within the pig sector to streamline the number of inspections because of the huge burden this places on farms and the need to make the audits more efficient, so they focus more on the animals rather than the paperwork” she said.
She pointed out that initial discussions have taken place between Red Tractor and RSPCA Assured about working together more closely on common areas to reduce the audit burden.
“I also stressed PIG’s point about the need to make more use of earned recognition. I gave EPR permitting inspections as a good example within our sector – if your business is compliant with permitting requirements, the audit can be delivered by Red Tractor as part of their annual inspection instead of two separate inspections,” she said.
“And we need a consistent standard of audit with trained specialist pig auditors. There are a number of good assessors, but the number of visits they can make is constrained by biosecurity requirements on farms.”
Lizzie also pointed that, particularly in light of recent events, assurance should be independent and not tied to larger organisations with potentially conflicting agendas. “The core purpose of farm assurance schemes must be to provide assurance, which will engender trust – to consumers, the supply chain, and farmers – say what you do, do what you say and prove it. Trust is fundamental.”
She also stressed the importance of pastoral support being provided to scheme members when alleged non-compliances are being investigated, highlighting a ‘culture of guilty until proved innocent’ that can exist. This is, of course, must be balanced against the need to maintain the credibility of the scheme in the public eye.
UK farm assurance review
The UK farm assurance review was established in the wake of Red Tractor’s attempts to introduce a Greener Farms Commitment (GFC), with a remit to look at the suitability of assurance schemes of all types across the UK in the post-Brexit world.