Red Tractor Assurance is to have its own national television advertising campaign later this year.

Recent market research shows that shoppers would be twice as likely to purchase a Red Tractor product if they understood more about the standards behind it.

Chief executive Jim Moseley said: “The new campaign will focus on the reassurance that Red Tractor brings to consumers through its rigorous checks against the high standards of British agriculture.”

Brexit has brought the future of UK food and farming into sharp focus. With the outcome of trade deals and tariffs yet to be decided, it is possible that domestic farm-assured produce could come under even more pressure from imported food on the supermarket shelves.

Differentiating a UK product from an import in terms of its production standards, origin, traceability and safety have never been more important, Mr Moseley said. "We need more shoppers to know more about the food they are buying to increase active sourcing of assured food."

So-called ‘exposes’ which paint a negative picture of assured food production, particularly in the livestock sectors, are becoming a common tactic which Mr Moseley has warned his members to be wary of.

“The positive reputation of British farming is well deserved, built on decades of public trust. However, one negative story about a farm that is not complying to assurance standards 365 days a year can quickly spread to millions of consumers and undermine that trust.

“Now is the time for every member to do their bit and protect the integrity of the logo.”

The consumer research found that:

- 80% of primary UK shoppers want to support British farmers

- 69% are aware of the Red Tractor on-pack logo

- 58% say they are positively influenced by the logo

- 30% would trade up to a Red Tractor product if they saw the logo