On-farm Standards
The UK sheep industry has some of the highest agricultural standards of any farming nation across the world. NSA welcomes the many reports and studies that highlight this and works extensively to promote the standards that are upheld by UK sheep farmers to the wider society.
The UK’s legislative structure for agriculture is very complex and strict. On top of this, there are various voluntary schemes that farmers elect to be part of that build further still on the legal requirements. These include farm assurance schemes and systems put in place by various retailers. These underpin the logos that consumers see in supermarkets and butchers’ shops – such as Red Tractor and Freedom Foods. Additional industry guidelines also exist for specific activities.
NSA has strong positions on a range of farming standards, such as welfare at slaughter, live exports and the responsible use of animal medicines. In addition, NSA has been involved with the creation of industry codes of practice, that provide guidelines on best practice for shearers and mobile dippers.
Our policy positions and industry guidelines, as well as more information on our work around farming standards, can be found below.
