Jim Moseley, the long-serving chief executive of Red Tractor and a veteran of the food and drink industry, will retire in April 2026 after more than 50 years in the sector.
After nine years leading the assurance body, Moseley said today (29 September) that it was the right moment to step back and focus on personal life.
He reflected that he would leave the organisation “in a strong position to support the future of British food and farming, with a board, a leadership team and tremendous employees who have the skills, knowledge, experience and dedication to carry Red Tractor forward.”
He also paid tribute to colleagues, describing assurance as “not an easy occupation” but praising his team for “huge professionalism and extraordinary resilience”.
He said their recognition by the World Health Organisation as “a global exemplar of a voluntary assurance programme” was testament to both their ability and the quality of the scheme.
Moseley took over as chief executive in 2017, having already chaired the organisation for two years. During that time, he has overseen growth in membership and wider recognition of the assurance scheme, with Red Tractor playing a central role in maintaining consumer trust in British food.
Alistair Mackintosh, chair of Red Tractor, said Moseley had made “an extraordinary contribution to Red Tractor and British food and farming.”
He noted that consumer confidence was at record levels and more retailers, caterers and brands than ever were relying on the scheme.
Mackintosh said Moseley would leave behind “an organisation which is highly motivated, financially sound and well governed” and thanked him for his “unrelenting support for British food production.”
Before joining Red Tractor, Moseley worked across primary agriculture, food manufacturing and some of the UK’s best-known brands.
He also represented the industry in senior trade and policy roles, serving as president of the Food and Drink Federation, chair of the Provision Trade Federation, and member of FoodDrinkEurope, as well as contributing to government groups such as the Trade & Agriculture Commission.
Moseley will remain in post until the end of the 2025/26 financial year, giving time for the recruitment of a successor and ensuring continuity as Red Tractor works to deliver the recommendations of the Farm Assurance Review.
After stepping down, he intends to take on roles that allow more time with family while remaining connected to the industry in a different capacity.
Details of the recruitment process for his replacement will be announced in due course.
