The NFU is teaming up with Assured Food Standards (AFS), BPEX, EBLEX, The Potato Council and ABN for this year’s event at Birmingham’s NEC from 24-28 November. More than 100,000 people are expected to attend what is now the UK’s largest food and drink festival.

The theme of the stand (C30) will be a ‘Good Food Story’ with a focus on the Red Tractor logo which can now be found on more than £10 billion worth of food and drink. Each day some of the country’s leading farmers and growers will be taking part in a ‘Meet the Farmer’ initiative aimed at bringing farmers and growers closer to consumers. Members of the public will be able to ask questions and find out more about Red Tractor standards, what they mean and how the logo offers security and assurance across the entire food chain – from the farm through to the supermarket.

The Red Tractor logo guarantees that consumers are buying quality food and drink that meets strict standards of food safety, environmental protection and animal welfare. The flag in the logo is also a guarantee of origin so consumers can be certain that where it appears with the Union flag it was 100 per cent farmed, produced and packed in the UK.

Visitors to the Red Tractor stand will also be able to see how a range of seasonal Red Tractor assured foods can be used to create delicious meals. Each day TV celebrity chef Aaron Craze will be appearing in a kitchen theatre to create some simple dishes using a variety of recipes.

NFU President Peter Kendall said: “The BBC Good Food Show provides an ideal platform to communicate with consumers. It’s all about enjoying quality food and drink and the Red Tractor stand will focus on telling shoppers how they can buy locally produced, seasonal food by looking out for the logo. We also need to remind shoppers to support our farmers, who produce food envied the world over for its quality and standards of animal welfare. Looking out for the Red Tractor logo is an easy way to support farming and in the run up to Christmas as this is the perfect time to emphasise these messages.”

EBLEX consumer marketing manager Jane Ritchie-Smith said: “At the Good Food Show, visitors will be able to experience our Red Tractor beef and lamb 'Good Food Story' campaign come to life. Each day our Red Tractor ambassador chef Aaron Craze will be showing visitors how to re-create the popular 20 minute beef and lamb dishes that they will have seen in our TV and press advertising campaign over the autumn. With a variety of recipes and delicious dishes to sample we want to show just how quick and easy beef and lamb is to prepare.”

BPEX head of marketing Chris Lamb said: “BPEX is delighted to join forces behind the Red Tractor at this show and we will be promoting our messages of very high welfare for Red Tractor pork, bacon and ham together with cooking demonstrations highlighting its variety, versatility and value for money.”

Head of marketing and corporate affairs at The Potato Council, Caroline Evans, said: “The Good Food Show is an opportunity to educate and inspire consumers about potatoes, and how they can make tasty meals combined with other Red Tractor products. Six of our Potato Ambassadors – passionate potato growers - will be on hand to talk to the public about how Red Tractor potatoes are produced and give their recommendations for delicious dishes that use the crop. It is good to be part of this joint industry initiative to promote the Red Tractor.”

“On behalf of the poultry and pork industries, ABN is proud to support such an important initiative. Educating consumers is vital to influencing their shopping choices; by attending the Good Food Show we have an opportunity to showcase the best British produce and talk about the Red Tractor quality mark and what assurances that provides. The visitors here are completely food focussed and what better advocates to help us spread such a strong message”, said Simon Heath, ABN’s managing director.

CEO of AFS, David Clarke, said: “I am delighted that so many organisations have rallied behind the Red Tractor for this prestigious event. Red Tractor standards are owned by the whole food chain and underpin a wide range of quality food messages. Our combined efforts will encourage more British consumers to look out for the Red Tractor logo when they shop.”