Jeremy Clarkson is damaging farmers

[Pippyls67]

He should butt out of the inheritance tax debacle. As Victoria Derbyshire reminded him during the London protests, he admitted in news print, when he bought his farm it was to dodge inheritance tax. Now he’s jumping in the back of farmers who probably won’t in actual fact pay very much ( smaller farms than his) for his own mercenary agenda. Farmers need to distance themselves from him and ban him from public events. He’s muddying their message and making them look bad by association. Ps I understand farmers need their farms intact to pass on but tbh we all need to pass on our wealth. I run a business and it’ll be screwed by inheritance tax to some extent. I don’t like it but you have to get on with it. That’s just the way of things isn’t it. Gotta pay for the NHS, schools and essential services from somewhere. Farms will need to sell assets I get it. Yes the largest farms will shrink in size but you just have to diversify to make up the difference if you want the same level of income. That’s what we do in business. Also it will make (potentially) land available for incomers to the industry. Lack of new blood and chances to enter farming have been an issue for many years. This is partly a consequence of even the largest farms being ‘handed down’ intact.

He's a colossal wanker.

On the inheritance tax issue maybe but a couple of years ago the NFU voted him Farming Champion of the year and said the first series of Clarksons Farm did more for farmers than Countryfile has achieved in 30 years.

No he's public face who's raised the profile of farmers and the problems they face massively. He is using the farm that way, has never denied that, but has repeatedly pointed out over the last 4 years that he is very lucky to have other income and that many farmers do not

Problem is that farms can't keep shrinking in size. The smaller a farm is the less profitable it is.

If you have 400 acres (?) maybe a tractor and a drill and a combine are worth the outlay. If you have 100 acres maybe it's not....so you have to employ someone to come and do your combining, etc.

If you have 400 acres you will buy your seed and fertiliser in bulk and it will be cheaper the larger the quantity. Buying smaller quantities will cost more and either get to a point where there is no profit or food prices will rise.

I'm not sure what assets you think they should sell as apart from land or much needed equipment there doesn't tend to be many assets.

But I do agree Clarkson is a tosser. Saying that his DiddlySquat programme I think has raised awareness of how tight margins are.

Its tricky because he has done a lot for farming recently. I know what you mean about him muddying the waters with his previous comments on IHT, however who else is going to be a voice for farmers?

I can't think of anyone else?

And no, farms are not the same as other businesses, at all. We need them for our food, we as a country really do need to appreciate them a hell of a lot more. I cannot think of another job where people work so hard!

Pootles34

I cannot think of another job where people work so hard!

Have you been to hospital lately? At least half a dozen jobs right there.

Really? Do HCP's work 24/7, 365, with no holiday, no sick pay, no pension, in the wind, rain and snow? I think not.

Respectfully disagree. and I have several members of my family that do work in the NHS, so I'm not naive to the incredible hours they work.

Farmers are working on the farm from childhood, often well into their 80s. Many never have a day off - it is their life. There is no end of shift.

Doesn’t that depend on the type of farming? From Cornwall, knew some arable farmers who had more spare time than we did!

Oh give over.

I think he's communicated very successfully that farmers can work 365 days a year in all weathers, but can then make a loss due to a poor harvest.

Absolutely respectfully disagree. I have friends in both sectors, and the farmers work 10X harder in most instances.

Jeremy Clarkson talking about inheritance tax on farms is like Taylor Swift endorsing the Democrats - it makes the people who already agree with them feel good, but it turns the people who don't agree even further off.

VelvetWildflower · Today 11:38

MrsSkylerWhite · Today 11:31
Pootles34
I cannot think of another job where people work so hard!

Have you been to hospital lately? At least half a dozen jobs right there.

Oh give over.

What?
My husband has been in and out of hospital the past couple of months. What’s expected of the staff - with lives sometimes depending on their decisions - is insane.
Farmers don’t have a monopoly on hard work.

Yes but it's their CHOICE. I am sick of this martyr narrative 'but we're doing it all for the country'. 'we work all hours to give you food'

They do it because they WANT to.

That’s where the NFU needs to step in. Organise collective buying and collective machinery sharing. They’re mainly just an insurance broker these days. Lost the point to some extent I feel. They were far more beneficial to farmers in decades gone by. Plus tbh and I know this is going to be controversial but your not acknowledging that it’s only the largest farms which will be affected. Smaller farms struggling with profit margins to that extent won’t.

The farmers I know think he’s done more to raise the profile of the difficulties farmers are facing than anyone else has ever managed to. They love him and are grateful for his involvement.

NFU is the trade association for farmers
NFU Mutual is an insurance firm

Two completely different organisations.

Clarkson utterly shat the bed in that Victoria Derbyshire interview. He is truly repellent, and while he may have plenty of reasonable opinions he has forfeited his right to be taken seriously by making a living talking apparent bollocks. Live by the sword etc.

Pippyls67 I've never read such utter bollocks. You clearly have't the faintest idea what you're talking about and I suspect your agenda is political.

It’s a lifestyle though isn’t it. There are absolutely massive compensations. The morning commute isn’t two hours on a heaving train and you’re not just seeing the family in the weekends and you’re not stuck in a toxic office with a bullying boss and the threat of the dole hanging over you if you stand up for yourself. Also you’re not cleaning up vomit, tackling knife weilding criminals or scaling burning buildings so it’s not fair to do the ‘nobody works so hard’ thing. It’s not an easy life but hey sometimes some jobs are just a bit shit!

Not a farmer but have watched all of Clarkson's farm. First for entertainment but then out of genuine fascination for certain aspects of farming. You can also see the journey he's been on since season one where most things were a joke, through to most recent season where he's grown to really care for what he is doing. People can grow through their experiences and change and I think that's what's happened here. People don't see him as a farmer, but frankly I think he's doing best as he can. People change 'professions' all the time. I think smaller communities need to be more open and inclusive.

Gotta pay for the NHS, schools and essential services from somewhere. Farms will need to sell assets I get it. Yes the largest farms will shrink in size but you just have to diversify to make up the difference if you want the same level of income.

The idea that farmers have to sell assets (you mean land and farm machinery, don't you), create second jobs for themselves, risking their livelihood and food production in order to fund public sector is bonkers.

If the wealthy are buying up land to avoid tax with no benefit to the country, the government needs to stop those loopholes, not treat farmers as if they are freeloaders for being family farmers.

Derbyshire had a very sneering tone. She asked him whether he had recently had a GP appointment not realising that he had just had a heart procedure. Everything has to be taxed to pay for the behemoth that is the NHS.
It’s very different when you are a farmer like me. The BBC approach to farming is Countryfile. Infantilising and patronising. This Sunday we had Adam Henson making apple juice. There will be a report on the London protest next week. A bit late.