© 2005 Bruce Tanner/Countryside Agency

Farm Certification Schemes Explained

The number of food accreditation schemes and standards around can seem confusing. This explanation of some of these schemes should go some way to explaining what it is that makes the local produce you are buying special.

Assured British Meat

This assures consumers that meat has been produced to stringent standards that are independently inspected. The standards cover food safety, animal welfare and environmental protection. Products carry the Little Red Tractor stamp.

An annual licence fee is charged for each participant certified to the ABM standards under licence. Visit www.abm.org.uk

FABBL Accredited

The FABBL Farm Assurance Scheme was set up in 1992 to give retailers and consumers confidence in British livestock production standards. Membership of EFSIS-FABBL allows producers of beef and lamb to prove that the standards of husbandry and welfare on farm meet nationally agreed levels of best practice and gives an assurance to the consumer that the product is safe. The scheme is a qualifying scheme for the British Farm Standard logo, which means that products from the scheme will carry the distinctive Little Red Tractor mark. Visit www.fabbl.co.uk

Green Farm Programmes

Farms with a Green Farm Programme have completed an environmental audit and a compulsory work plan to further improve and conserve the landscape and wildlife features on the farm. The Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) is a national charity that advises farmers on how to integrate environmental objectives within their farm practice and play a key role in this programme. Visit www.fwag.org.uk.

Organic

Any product marketed as organic must comply with strict conditions set at UK, European and international levels. This protects the rights of organic producers and ensures consumers can be certain that they are buying a genuine organic product.

Organic production makes use of natural rather than chemical methods to control pests and fertilise the land, prohibits the use of genetically modified material, avoids environmental pollution and helps regenerate and protect wildlife on the farm. Only a restricted number of additives can be used in food manufacturing; for example, all artificial flavourings and sweeteners are banned. Dependent on the produce type e.g. milk, grain, beef, farms have to undergo at least a two year conversion period before full organic status is achieved.

Red Lion logo

The Red Lion logo appears on eggs and is an indication that they come from hens vaccinated against salmonella.

Further information

For the answers to any additional farming questions that you may have, why not visit the National Farmers’ Union’s website at www.nfu.org.uk.

Frequently asked questions are answered in the ‘About Agriculture’ section.