Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to promote the purchase of food with the Red Tractor logo (a) in supermarkets and (b) elsewhere in the UK.

Red Tractor is an independent and voluntary UK-based whole-chain food assurance scheme overseen by Assured Food Standards. Such schemes can help to build consumer confidence in producers who can comply with specific health, welfare or environmental standards. Red Tractor regularly promotes its work and achievements through TV and radio campaigns, as well as a strong presence on social media.

While we encourage membership of food assurance schemes among farmers, the Government is not, however, responsible for Red Tractor or any other independent and private scheme.

As a nation, we should be proud of our high quality produce, high standards of food safety, traceability, animal welfare and sustainability. Our farmers and growers are doing a fantastic job of feeding the nation during this challenging time.

In addition, we are working closely with the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), Dairy UK and Seafish as they develop consumer-facing marketing campaigns for the dairy, meat and seafood sectors. Specifically, AHDB and Dairy UK are launching a £1 million campaign, supported financially by Defra and devolved government partners, to encourage consumers to reconnect with milk. Defra and Seafish are working closely on the Sea For Yourself campaign, an initiative to promote seafood species caught in UK waters. The campaign directs consumers to tips and recipes on how to cook these species, as well as to information on online sales to help them find out where to buy local fish and shellfish.

Separately, Quality Meat Scotland, AHDB and Meat Promotion Wales have launched a £1.2 million ‘Make It beef’ campaign, aimed at showing consumers how they can recreate easy to cook restaurant-style meals with high-quality cuts, such as steak. The campaign will use the Red Tractor logo in England.

We will always champion our farmers and producers, supporting them to grow more of our great British food and to provide a reliable and sustainable food supply to the British public.