Red Tractor ‘failing to regulate’ pesticide use for UK supermarket products

A chemical sprayer at work. Recent studies have revealed alarming global declines in insect populations due in part to pesticide use. Photograph: geogphotos/Alamy

The Red Tractor scheme, used to mark food produced to a “high standard”, is failing to regulate the use of pesticides on farms, a report has found.

As the UK’s biggest farm and food assurance scheme, which certifies about 50,000 farmers, Red Tractor is relied upon to uphold environmental standards. The products are sold in all major UK supermarkets.