Jeremy Clarkson wades into farming row and slams 'completely daft' Welsh government plans

Jeremy Clarkson at the 2023 British Grand Prix

Jeremy Clarkson has waded into a farming row and slammed the Welsh government’s latest plans as “completely daft”.

The Grand Tour presenter was reacting to a new funding scheme introduced by the Welsh government that would see farmers obliged to stick to a series of strict environmental rules in return for funding.

Known as the sustainable farming scheme, it will take the place of the basic payment scheme and require farmers to adhere to a list of obligations. One of the most controversial new rules is the stipulation that farmers must plant trees on a large chunk of their land.

Although this specific rule would only apply to land which can play host to trees, the new policies have not gone down well with farmers in the UK.

Outgoing first minister Mark Drakeford in 2022

Responding to the new policy on X/Twitter, Mr Clarkson said: “I’m trying to see the Welsh farming policy from the government’s point of view. And I just can’t. It’s completely daft.”

Mr Clarkson isn’t the only farmer upset by the new rules as tractors took to the roads to protest about the regulations during a go-slow protest in Newtown, Powys. Speaking to the BBC, farmer Aneurin Aston said: “Our job is to provide food for the public and you can’t eat trees. We’re prepared to do our fair share for climate change, but this is one ask too much.”

Speaking to the press about the new regulations, Mark Drakeford claimed that it was “inevitable and unavoidable” that a new scheme had to be introduced because of Brexit.

Mr Drakeford said that the Welsh government wanted to “go on supporting farmers here in Wales” but that the public shouldn’t “put its hand into its pocket to put millions of pounds on the table…for farmers to just do whatever farmers think they would like to do it with it”.

Rishi Sunak visiting Harlow Police Station

Mr Drakeford added that while some “voices in farming want to argue that the public should pay the money and farmers should decide what to do” this “can’t be the bargain”.

He claimed that the “vast majority of voices in the farming community, understand that that can’t be the way we face the future together”.

The news comes ahead of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s announcement that farmers will be helped by a new package of measures.

Mr Sunak is due to announce the new plans at a speech at Tuesday’s National Farmer’s Union annual conference which will help boost the country’s food security.

Mr Sunak is due to announce a £220m into new automation and food-productivity schemes as well as plans to allow farmers to develop new businesses such as farm shops.

Speaking to the BBC about the situation, current farmer Josie Lewis, 25, said: “British farming is in a crisis. At the end of the day, who is going to be feeding Great Britain as a country? We can’t keep relying on imported goods.

“We need the government to listen to us and give us a bit more backing with funding and schemes so we can move forward and continue making a good product for members of the public.”