A recent report, conducted on behalf of the UK farming unions and the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), found that that while farm assurance is critical to the future of farming and essential for consumer confidence, the current system needs major reforms to address mounting dissatisfaction among farmers.
The nine-month review collected evidence from all parts of the UK food supply chain, and showed widespread concerns, particularly about the UK-wide schemes.
Key suggestions include reducing on-farm audits, embracing technology to modernise the system, and ensuring farmers have a central role in developing standards.
Additionally, the report calls for a new industry-led initiative to establish environmental goals for farm assurance and greater collaboration between assurance schemes across the UK.