In 2019 Jeremy Clarkson bashed Greta Thunberg for “Killing the car show” and calling her an “idiot”1. However, many argue that his time spent on a farm has changed him. Is Jeremy Clarkson 2024’s newest environmental advocate or is it just for show?
In season 1 of Clarkson’s farm, Jeremy gets learns the ropes to farming while also exploring a multitude of environmental projects. In episode 4, titled Wilding, Clarkson focuses on improving the biodiversity of his unfarmed land, motivated by the depressing decline in insect populations over the last 30 years. He creates a wetland area by damming a stream and excavating a pond, and encourages owl populations through the installation of owl boxes. Additionally, he also sacrifices some of his farmland for a flower meadow for his newly bought bees, further intended to increase the biodiversity of his farm. Having received social media backlash for the removal of trees for the pond he later plants 20 mature trees in episode 5.
Clarkson also teams up with Groove Armada’s Andy Cato in season 3 to attempt to revive the almost degraded soil, due to conventional farming, on one end of his farm. In this episode, Porking, Cato introduces Clarkson to regenerative farming and dual planting. Much to Kaleb’s chagrin, Jeremy insists that they attempt it on one of his fields.
However, as enjoyers of the programme may already know, Jeremy’s farm is barely profitable, coming in to £144 in season 1. Projects like these are expensive and generate little to no income, meaning most farmers will have to choose between turning a profit and helping the environment. Furthermore, farmers’ salaries are not set in stone, unpredictable weather could drastically cut a farmer’s income. Clarkson, as he says in the show, is fortunate to have other income streams, his net worth is estimated to be around $50 million, which makes for a comfortable living. It is important to remember that Jeremy’s farm is far from average. However, without even having to worry about his income he still genuinely portrays the stress that all farmers feel.
Moreover, with the new farm subsidy system being less focused on the output of the farm, farmers will not be able to spare any penny not only during the switch but also after2. Furthermore, many farmers will struggle with the recent imposition of inheritance tax on land causing many farm owners to have to start saving up money quickly in order to pay .
The new agricultural Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMs) designed to replace the EU’s Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) after Brexit, will change this though. The ELMs provide financial incentive to protect the environment through Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), Countryside Stewardship and Landscape Recovery programs. These reward farmers for practicing environmentally friendly farming, large-scale projects that help restore the landscape and the creation and maintenance of natural habitats. These programs, however complex, provide flexibility to farmers, meaning each farmer can choose the programs that suit them.
It is vital to remember that Clarkson’s small environmental project’s worth lies in their publicity. The premiere of Season 3 of Clarkson’s Farm was streamed by 5 million people in its first weekend. The world might very well benefit because of Clarkson’s wetland or flower meadow. Clarkson’s owl boxes might one day protect the world’s last Tawny Owl, but the awareness that Jeremy Clarkson has raised through his TV show is invaluable to climate change.
References:
https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/jeremy-clarkson-slams-greta-thunberg
https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/article/explainer/agriculture-subsidies-after-brexit
