BY JACK CLIFFORD

With Red Tractor reviewing its farm standards and assessment processes, many agricultural businesses will be looking again at whether they are ready for future checks.

But while food safety, animal welfare and traceability often take priority, waste handling can be an overlooked source of hygiene, pest, contamination and pollution concerns.

To help farms prepare, food waste experts at Bins.co.uk have outlined what the Red Tractor Standards mean for farm waste, the mistakes that can raise concerns during assessments, and the records farms should keep to demonstrate that waste has been handled correctly.

What are Red Tractor Standards?

Red Tractor is a non-profit food chain assurance scheme covering areas such as food safety, traceability, animal welfare and protection, hygiene, and waste management.

It is the UK's largest food and farming assurance scheme, with more than 45,000 farmers accredited to its standards and is one of the most trusted food logos in the country, as £16 billion worth of food and drink in the UK carries the Red Tractor logo.

The scheme sets standards across the food chain and ensures that businesses meet them. For farms, this means showing that food is responsibly produced, traceable and produced in line with the relevant sector standards.

What are Red Tractor standards for waste?

For waste, the main issue is risk management. Farmers need to show that waste and potential pollutants are stored, separated, and handled in a way that reduces the risk of contamination, pollution, pests, or broader hygiene issues.

Examples of farm waste include plastic wrap, silage film, feed bags, used oil, filters, pesticide containers, veterinary product packaging, spoiled feed, scrap metal, tyres and wash water, depending on the site.

However, Red Tractor doesn't replace existing UK waste laws and regulations. Agricultural businesses still need to meet their legal responsibilities when waste is stored, collected, transported, or disposed of.

Common waste mistakes that could put farms at risk

1. Leaving plastic waste exposed where it can blow across fields or neighbouring land.
2. Storing waste too close to feed, crops, bedding, livestock areas, or watercourses.
3. Mixing hazardous materials, such as chemical containers or used oil, with general waste.
4. Allowing old packaging, containers or redundant materials to accumulate around the site.
5. Using waste collectors without checking whether they are properly registered.
6. Failing to keep waste transfer notes, invoices, or collection records.
7. Assuming agricultural waste can be burned, buried, or left on site.
8. Not giving staff clear instructions on where different waste types should go.

Mark Hall, food waste expert at Bins.co.uk said:

"Poorly managed waste can tell a Red Tractor assessor a lot about how it's being run. If plastics, used oil, chemical containers or general waste are being stored together or left out exposed, it can quickly raise questions and concerns around hygiene, pest control, pollutants and contamination, which can quickly score a business down.

"Farm waste needs to be visible, separated and traceable. That starts with identifying every waste stream produced on site, from general and recyclable waste to hazardous or specialist materials. Farms should then make sure waste is separated properly and stored away from feed, bedding, livestock, crops and water sources.

"It's also vital that farmers have the correct paperwork too. Keeping registered carrier details, waste transfer notes and collection records gives farms a clearer audit trail and helps show that waste has been handled through the right route."