Food assurance scheme Red Tractor has detailed ways in which it believes meat and poultry processors can minimise their audit burden and reduce duplication.
The announcement follows engagement with the sector, with the measures said to give businesses the option to make better use of existing certification and include opportunities for joint Red Tractor Meat and Poultry Processing (RTMPP) and BRCGS Food Safety assessments, as well as avoiding duplicate traceability assessments.
Joanna King, head of partnerships and supply chain assurance at Red Tractor, commented: “We’ve worked hard to identify meaningful ways for meat and poultry processors to reduce audit burden. These proposals, whilst not mandatory, are an important step in making assurance work more efficiently while continuing to deliver the robustness and confidence that sits at the heart of Red Tractor.”
Joint RTMPP and BRCGS assessments
Opportunities to reduce audit burden through joint assessments are available where a business holds BRCGS Food Safety and RTMPP certification with the same certification body. Red Tractor will contact all RTMPP members to advise of the opportunity and, where applicable, explain to businesses currently using different certification bodies how they could benefit from this option.
Avoid duplicating traceability assessments
RTMPP members that are also Red Tractor licensees and that receive joint Red Tractor and BRCGS Food Safety assessments can now opt out of the Traceability and Integrity module assessment within the Red Tractor scheme under certain conditions where there’s duplication.
Reduce the frequency of Red Tractor Traceability Challenges
RTMPP certified sites that are also Red Tractor licensees can reduce the frequency of their Traceability Challenge from annually to once every two years.
To be eligible, sites must:
- Be part of a Red Tractor licensed group
- Have a joint unannounced BRCGS and RTMPP assessment and achieve a BRCGS grade between AA*-B*
- Give Red Tractor permission to view their BRCGS report
- Have no BRCGS non-conformances relating to traceability
Review pork scheme certification
Red Tractor has removed the requirement for pork licensees to be certified against certain BMPA Quality Pork Charter modules, and equivalent RTMPP pork quality modules. This move was said to give Red Tractor pork licensees the choice to reduce their number of assessments while continuing to maintain assurance criteria.
“Reducing duplication and audit burden in assurance is something the meat processing sector has been keen to see.”
John Powell, BMPA
John Powell, CEO of the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA), stated: “Reducing duplication and audit burden in assurance is something the meat processing sector has been keen to see. We have worked closely with Red Tractor to align assessments and recognise where existing certification already provides the necessary assurance, helping to make the process more efficient for businesses. We very much welcome the practical steps that Red Tractor is taking in this direction and look forward to continuing our work with them on this important issue.”
Richard Griffiths, chief executive of the British Poultry Council (BPC), added: “Assurance needs to work for businesses as well as providing confidence across the supply chain. The options provided by Red Tractor recognise the significant requirements poultry meat processors already meet and offer a more practical approach to managing assurance assessments.”
