The interim chair of Red Tractor, Alistair Mackintosh, said today (Monday, August 19) that he was “humbled” to receive a “Lifetime Achievement Award” which recognised his dedication to British farming.
Mackintosh is a beef, sheep and arable farmer in Cumbria with a long history of championing the farming industry – not just through his role with Red Tractor.
He has also previously served as the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) livestock chair and as a member of the NFU council.
It was this significant contribution to farming and agricultural communities both locally and nationally which led to Mackintosh receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Cumbria Farming Awards last week.
Red Tractor
In May of this year Mackintosh, who was at that time vice- chair of Red Tractor, was appointed to step into the role of interim chair of the not for profit company, following the resignation of former chair, Christine Tacon.
Red Tractor’s owners are known as the ownership body and include the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), the National Farmers Union (NFU), NFU Scotland, the Ulster Farmers Union (UFU), Dairy UK and the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
It has been something of a turbulent year for the company first set up by farmers and industry leaders back in 2000, as it found itself at the centre of complaints from some of its farming members.
An independent governance review, commissioned earlier this year by the NFU, into Red Tractor highlighted what was described as “an existential crisis” for the company.
It also found widely contrasting perceptions of the behaviour and culture of the not for profit company.
“Its supporters see Red Tractor as an effective, forceful and well-run leader in the food and farming industry.
“Its detractors, some of those within the governance structure, see it as closed, over-controlling, dominated by certain interests and secretive,” the review stated.
However since Mackintosh took over as interim chair of the company he has “made it his mission to strengthen relationships with farmers, growers, and processors”.
He has met members of the UK’s agricultural community and attended various agricultural shows including Balmoral Show in Northern Ireland, the Royal Highland Show, and the National Sheep Event.
Mackintosh said today: “My focus now as interim chair of Red Tractor is ensuring our farmer members’ views are heard and enhancing their trust in Red Tractor through greater transparency and increasing audit efficiency.
“By working collaboratively across the whole food supply chain I believe we can continue to ensure Red Tractor is one of the best schemes in the world, adding value for members and providing a competitive advantage for their produce”.
