Topic: Clarkson's Farm

[JerseyKloppite]

I think it's obviously a very entertaining series but also highlights the hugely significant issues farmers face in the coming years. The transition from EU-funded to domestically-funded subsidies will be challenging and many farmers face a risk that they'll be left worse off. The focus on diversification for the purpose of generating additional income streams is interesting, though few farmers are likely to be in a position to throw £250k at building a restaurant etc.

[A-Bomb]

I think it's obviously a very entertaining series but also highlights the hugely significant issues farmers face in the coming years. The transition from EU-funded to domestically-funded subsidies will be challenging and many farmers face a risk that they'll be left worse off. The focus on diversification for the purpose of generating additional income streams is interesting, though few farmers are likely to be in a position to throw £250k at building a restaurant etc.

And seemingly can't guarantee local authority co-operation either......a complete cluster fuck from the Tories and perfect example of how the vacuum of policy to support these industries is ruining businesses and livelihoods. You'd have thought with this lot wanting to cut red tape left right and centre, that this would be an easy win for them along with some form of funding support for diversification.

[killer-heels]

Thing I like about the show is you get to laugh at farmers struggling even more. Brexit supporting c*nts.

[The G in Gerrard]

Kaleb is great.

[JerseyKloppite]

Thing I like about the show is you get to laugh at farmers struggling even more. Brexit supporting c*nts.

The extent to which farmers voted for Brexit is far from clear. Polls suggest anything from 35% to 70% so there's every chance that they were no more culpable as a group than the general population. But a bit unfair to tar them all with that brush.

Also their relationship with EU subsidies is complicated. The Basic Payment Scheme has underpinned farming for years so in some ways it seems ludicrous to leave a system where they receive such consistent, guaranteed levels of financial support. However a lot of the rules, or the implementation of the rules, around other subsidy payments could be punitive and quite unfair (and I say this as someone who voted remain ). This led to some frustration with the system.

Ultimately as with other parts of life, the government promised that things would be better. I think when sectors that have such a clear and direct financial relationship to the EU vote to leave or remain it's a bit different to the general population basing decisions on fears about immigration or other trumped up shite.

[Nobby Reserve]

Finally finished season 2.

It's such an enjoyable show.

I'm a huge supporter of regulation, but fuck me, the ridiculous lengths farmers have to go through. And the West Oxfordshire council are utter twats.

One comment I read about the repeated refusals for Clarkson's applications to diversify the business was that the Cotswolds is an AONB in large part due to the activity of farmers. But if those farmers are put out of business, a lot of the land will be snapped up by housing developers. And, given how this government views things like planning restrictions as barriers for their donors to make huge profits (and Labour have also announced they will cut back building restrictions on greenbelt), they wouldn't be AONB's for long.

Letting farmers use farm buildings to diversify into other activities linked to farming/food production should be a no-brainer (but then, Clarkson gets a guarantee of immediate success due to his fame; whereas Harry Barleymow 5 miles away would struggle to get anything like the publicity and footfall)

When we were driving back from Portsmouth after an overnight ferry from France last month, we planned to stop off somewhere round the Cotswolds for a spot of lunch and, as we were going to be passing close to Chipping Norton, decided to detour past Diddly Squat. They had the second field/car park open, but it was traffic bedlam. Only for a couple hundred yards around the entrance, and it's on a pretty minor road anyway, but the number of people visiting was nuts. We drove past, turned, came back and stopped briefly (nobody was behind us) to get a couple of pics, but I wasn't sacrificing a couple of hours to buy some very overpriced things.

[ChaChaMooMoo]

I'm a huge supporter of regulation, but fuck me, the ridiculous lengths farmers have to go through. And the West Oxfordshire council are utter twats.

For me that was the biggest eye opener.

Jokes aside, shenanigans aside, witty retorts aside, there is a part of farming that I learnt from this series that is just hard to understand and difficult to justify. And thats primarily the regulation side of farming and how much the government (not just UK govt mind you) bend over backwards for other forms of ecomony and how much they tend to ignore the agro-economy.

Agro economy should be prioritised and digital infrastructure to improve farming efficiency should be combined with it. Same with natural forms of farming support.

But I guess this is for another thread. Probably the farming thread, if such a thread exists.

[Mr Mingebag Squid]

Whole of series three now out...

More of the same, Clarkson being semi daft whilst highlighting challenges farmers face. The pigs were heartbreaking.

[Qston]

I have watched the series now. Yes, the usual shenanigans but it is brilliant at highlighting the issues farmers face