Last chance to voice views on important proposed Red Tractor changes
7th Dec 2016 / By Alistair Driver
Time is running out for anyone who wants to make their voice heard about some very significant proposed changes to Red Tractor pig standards due to come in next year.
Red Tractor is currently consulting across its sectors on proposed changes to run from 2017 to 2020.
This includes a number of notable changes to the pig standards including making it compulsory to upload total antibiotic usage data onto the database eMB-Pigs on a quarterly basis. Subject to approval, from October 1 2017, Red Tractor pigs members will need to have entered antibiotic data from the previous two quarters onto the system to be compliant.
It is also proposed that antibiotic prescribing must be done in accordance with Pig Veterinary Society (PVS) Prescribing Principles at all times, alongside tighter conditions on the prescribing of Critically Important Antibiotics.
There are proposed changes in various other areas, too, including vermin control, traceability, biosecurity and fallen stock.
NPA response
The NPA will respond to the consultation before Christmas and is keen to hear the views of members on how the proposed change could affect their businesses.
We would to like to receive your comments - via the NPA email - by this Friday, December 9.
NPA chief executive Zoe Davies said: “The Red Tractor consultation includes some really important proposed changes, particularly in the areas of recording antibiotic usage and the prescribing of antibiotics on pig farms. There are other notable changes, too, and we would like to include the first-hand views of members in our response.
“If you are happy to accept all of the changes suggested by Red Tractor, there is no need to comment, although we would still like to hear this via the NPA email.
“If you do intend to comment, unless you are putting in a private response, this will be the last opportunity you get as I will be sending the NPA response on Friday December 16.”
“We would very much appreciate your help with this!”
For analysis from Pig World on what the proposed changes mean to farmers, click here
- The consultation runs until December 31
- For more information see https://consultation.redtractor.org.uk/rta/pigs/