THE chairman of the Lancashire division of the National Farmers Union has urged consumers to check for the red tractor symbol on food packaging.

The recommendation comes in light of horse DNA being found in some Tesco Everyday Value beef burgers.

Graham Young, who represents North West farmers for the NFU said: “If people look for the red tractor assurance scheme, they would not be buying things like this.

“It does not surprise me that this has happened when meat is not part of the assurance scheme, these things can happen.”

The red tractor logo means that the food supply chain has been independently inspected to ensure food is produced to quality standards by assured farmers, growers and producers in the UK.