The UK’s largest farm assurance body, Red Tractor, has taken ownership of the Quality British Turkey (QBT) scheme.
For more than a decade a mutual recognition agreement has ensured that turkey produced to QBT standards can benefit from being sold with the Red Tractor consumer logo.
It has been run by the British Poultry Council but this month ownership has been transferred to Red Tractor Assurance.
It will be renamed as the Red Tractor Farm Assurance scheme for Turkeys.
Red Tractor poultry chairman Andy Lewins said that it would be a seamless transition which would have no direct impact on UK turkey producers.
“QBT’s standards were rooted in traceability, animal welfare and food safety and are similar in nature to the standards Red Tractor sets out in its poultry scheme,” Mr Lewins said.
“Becoming part of the wider poultry scheme allows for smooth administration and will mean a sound future for turkey assurance.”
Independent assessment body SAI Global will continue to be producers’ main point of contact for membership, assessments and certification.
British Poultry Council chief executive, Richard Griffiths, said: “Every one of us wants to eat food we can trust.
“We need to know where it came from, how it was grown, that it is of good quality, that it supports our communities and that it will be available again tomorrow, next week and next year.
“The Red Tractor taking ownership of the turkey production standards strengthens consumer trust towards British turkey production.”
