WITH THE volume of cheap imported dairy products set to increase post Brexit, Red Tractor farm assurance has "never been more important" to the UK dairy industry.

According to the Red Tractor organisation’s dairy sector chairman, Angela Rhodes, the logo could set a product apart from its competition, telling consumers that it had been produced in the UK to strict standards covering traceability, food safety and animal welfare.

Speaking at the UK Dairy Day in Telford, the Warwickshire farmer said: “We can’t expect consumers to simply continue to buy our product when given more choice and cheaper alternatives. There has to be a compelling reason to choose something that is UK produced.

“With the Red Tractor scheme we have a ready-made solution," she said. "The robust standards tell people where their food came from and how it has been produced.”

As the UK’s largest farm assurance scheme, Red Tractor currently assures more than 13billion litres of milk produced in the UK from about 11,500 businesses. Mrs Rhodes said it was Red Tractor Assurance’s ambition to continue to grow consumer recognition of the logo so more domestic consumers actively sourced assured food.

“Our research shows that about two-thirds of consumers recognise the logo but only half can explain what it stands for and we want to improve that," she said. “As we move towards and beyond Brexit, one of the keys to success will be ensuring stronger consumer support.”

Looking outwards, she noted that the UK had exported 163,000 tonnes of cheese and nearly 40,000 tonnes of butter in 2016, and suggested that the assurance scheme would help sell more UK produced food across the world: “The UK’s trading partners need assurances that the product they are buying meets certain standards and I hope that our farm assurance scheme can be something that negotiators can hang their hat on.”