George Monbiot, TFF in 'The Guardian'.

[Cab-over Pete]

Moonbot's worth £5 million, if anybody is interested.

Not in the slightest.

I wouldn’t give you the steam off my pi$$ for any time with him.

 

[Jackov Altraids]

I hope Mr Monbiot is reading this thread.

Just in case he is and, in the unlikely event he takes any notice of what I write, here goes…


Farming isn’t completely innocent of causing wildlife to decline and climate change to hasten. We all know that.

But I think it’s a kind of necessary problem and we should all do what we can, within the realms of efficient farming, to try and put things right.

I am a firm believer that Monbiot and his ilk will win in the reasonably near future. They will have their opinions acted upon and think they’ve done a great job. And all this will be done by the time he shuffles off to help the worm population.

But know this Monbiot….. at this very moment there are babies being born in the more desperate areas of the world who will be malnourished and probably die early because there isn’t enough food for them to eat.

You and your tribe of “experts”, followers and fans WILL BE personally responsible for their deaths. It will be your fault. I hope you can live with that.

It won’t happen in the UK, so you will never need to see the uncomfortable truth. We will all be able to enjoy seeing weeds grow and watch our neighbours bail out their kitchen for the umpteenth time in their life with a full belly.

But people will die because that’s what you want Monbiot. That’s what you’re asking for.

Unfortunately, I expect if he does bother to give my little bit of opinion any time, the only part of it he would quote in his rag is the first sentence. It will all be the farmers fault.

Agriculture has always been subject to government policy.
I think it would be genuinely difficult to level blame at farming and farmers in general when they have only ever really followed those policies.

 

[Jsmith2211]

Hope monbiot is reading this, if he is hi george! Got one thing to say to you. Get Stuffed!

 

[Jsmith2211]

In that case, i'm very glad that I read and pay for a proper newspaper (known to some as the Torygraph) for my early morning newsfix. I'm successfully not listening to the BBC Today programme any more and life is a whole lot better.

stopped listening to radio 4 some years back. My voice was getting sore from shouting at the radio in the tractor so often... Occasionally tune in, every single time I have there has been something within 5 minutes that has seemed extremely socialist. What a wonderful use of my license fee!

 

[Farmer_Joe]

View attachment 1109647

get him on ignore, makes these threads much more pleasant to read.

 

[Sid]

My point being they “ the nfu “ didn’t think it worthy to counter George as it gave him more air time
The BFU May for all I know be working on something, I really don’t know.
I admit to knowing the theory to counter the extreme anti livestock folk but lack the confidence and don’t feel articulate enough to go on air and have a go , neither it seems do the nfu.
I will say here and now I am a member of both and believe in changing from within but to counter every thread with “ but what’s the BFU” done is pointless.

He is very articulate and can twist things, on that very point you have to be selective as to whom you pit against him and others on live media or it can go very wrong very quickly.

Having said that a genuine farmer/land owner is definitely a better bet than a paid staff member in the eyes of the consumer.

 

[melted welly]

"the extreme concentration of landholding"

Interesting that the Moonunit would transfer this land to a single body (presumably) that took its advice from him and his like. Somewhat ironic some would say in light of what he says here.

Funny he uses that phrase in the context of talking about farmers, not landowners, not “charities”, not govt, not investment funds, not greenwash enabling chancers, not the landed gentry and nobility. Only farmers.

Is it jealousy, resentment, envy?….. Seems unhealthily obsessed.

More ironic that his vision of a future food supply involves removing that job from tens/hundreds of thousands of independent private businesses and handing it all to 2 or 3 massive multinationals to “grow” food in vats or pulverise a variety of low value grains and pulses into something that can (with the help of flavourings, texturising agents, preservatives, colourings, sweeteners, gelling agents, emulsifiers, fortifying agents plus vitamin and mineral supplements 🫣) produce a low quality alternative with unknown long term side effects.

Nice one George.

 

[Wood field]

He is very articulate and can twist things, on that very point you have to be selective as to whom you pit against him and others on live media or it can go very wrong very quickly.

Having said that a genuine farmer/land owner is definitely a better bet than a paid staff member in the eyes of the consumer.

Yes I agree, bit like politicians, evangelists etc
Some have the gift of the gab and can push their agenda skilfully
Well I am off to move some of George’s favourite animals up the hill , you have a good day @Sid

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

George Monbiot loves to reference his rambling articles in the Guardian with 'facts' he's found on Google. And the week, as usual, he's pointing the finger of blame for all the worlds ills on farmers, and quoting TFF with regard to the river Lugg incident:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/may/03/england-rivers-election-sewage-water-pollution
"But total ignorance rules. On the Farming Forum, a popular chat site, opinion is overwhelmingly in Price’s favour. He is portrayed as a salt-of-the-earth type just trying to make a living, though the court documents reveal that he has assets worth between £21m and £25m."

"It’s bad enough that the extreme concentration of landholding in the UK means an extreme concentration of daily decision-making. It’s even worse when some landowners seem performatively ignorant of the most basic facts of ecology and hydrology. It’s worse still when they insist on being treated as the “guardians of the countryside”.

I mention this to make forum members aware he may be lurking in the background, and using the 'ignorant' forum content to satisfy his £60K salary at the Grauniad.

So which bit don't you agree with?

Or is it that you can't tolerate someone with different views to your own?

 

[br jones]

Not in the slightest.

I wouldn’t give you the steam off my pi$$ for any time with him.

dont waste your steam

 

[PSQ]

So which bit don't you agree with?

Or is it that you can't tolerate someone with different views to your own?

Here's 5 pages worth of clickable links to his Guardian 'farming' articles, I'm sure even you will be able to find something:

https://www.monbiot.com/category/farming/

 

[Sid]

Here's 5 pages worth of clickable links to his Guardian 'farming' articles, I'm sure even you will be able to find something:

https://www.monbiot.com/category/farming/

As ever commentators make comments that agitate 25%, agree with 25% of the readers to keep them engaged and reading. The art is to make those 50% different for each article to cover 100% of the readers.
It therefore keeps them in print,step forward Monbiot,Clarkson,Packham, Bragg etc.

Question Time this week is from Telford. David Lammy, Peter Hitchins, Mark Harper, Billy Bragg and Minette Batters (@Grass And Grain was busy(sorry )) are on the panel.
Could be interesting!

 

[Two Tone]

If GEORGE MONBIOT is on TFF and wants to print something about it fairly, then he should at least engage with us, rather than hide behind the fact that he literally likes to and gets paid to ‘bite the hands that feed him’.

If he cannot be bothered to do that, then nobody should be bothered by him.



I’ve some very serious Guardian reading Labour supporting friends who aren’t stupid enough to believe a lot of what he writes due to very obvious ‘selective facts’ publishing.


The irony being today of all days with the local elections, we have actually voted for the same party!
Me, because I’m sick of the Tories and their ridiculous ELM’s scheme and them because they literally would be the only folks in Stratford-upon-Avon that voted Labour!

 

[warksfarmer]

The irony being today of all days with the local elections, we have actually voted for the same party!
Me, because I’m sick of the Tories and their ridiculous ELM’s scheme and them because they literally would be the only folks in Stratford-upon-Avon that voted Labour!

Haven’t voted for the first time ever. Only the choice of labour and conservative and both parties are useless so sod it.

 

[Grass And Grain]

As ever commentators make comments that agitate 25%, agree with 25% of the readers to keep them engaged and reading. The art is to make those 50% different for each article to cover 100% of the readers.
It therefore keeps them in print,step forward Monbiot,Clarkson,Packham, Bragg etc.

Question Time this week is from Telford. David Lammy, Peter Hitchins, Mark Harper, Billy Bragg and Minette Batters (@Grass And Grain was busy(sorry )) are on the panel.
Could be interesting!

Will watch that if back from the village coronation preparations.

Don't think I'd be very good on stage answering questions. I agreed to be chair of steering committee (not a president). Maybe someone who's better infront of a camera will come along to be president of BFU at some point. At moment it's a case of laying the foundations, and BFU need to up their/our game in that respect. Currently underperforming.

Going back to thread topic, I'd have thought someone like Monbiot needs to pull farmers and get them on side. We are the land managers, so not good idea to get our backs up. Maybe I take some of my own advice when it comes to dealing with AIC, AHDB etc.

 

[texelburger]

Moonbot's worth £5 million, if anybody is interested.

Don't worry he's only spouting this twaddle for the money. He's a capitalist with a capital C.A most disingenuous person.

 

[Blaithin]

He's definitely on here; I wont be the only person pointing him to stuff he needs to read.

I guess that’s why they call it reading AND comprehension level.

Just because you can read something, doesn’t mean you comprehend it.

By you, I mean him.

 

[egbert]

If GEORGE MONBIOT is on TFF and wants to print something about it fairly, then he should at least engage with us, rather than hide behind the fact that he literally likes to and gets paid to ‘bite the hands that feed him’.

If he cannot be bothered to do that, then nobody should be bothered by him.



I’ve some very serious Guardian reading Labour supporting friends who aren’t stupid enough to believe a lot of what he writes due to very obvious ‘selective facts’ publishing.


The irony being today of all days with the local elections, we have actually voted for the same party!
Me, because I’m sick of the Tories and their ridiculous ELM’s scheme and them because they literally would be the only folks in Stratford-upon-Avon that voted Labour!

Georgie doesn't want to engage here.
He's got a wide range of fixed bias and hatreds- into which several on here would neatly fit.
(For all his slick presentation as a rational open minded commentator, he's a singularly bigoted individual, with a wealth of ignorance and prejudice...as far as i can see)

The fact that he has to mention Price's personal wealth is indicative.
Is he saying Price's actions would have been more excusable if he were skint?

Moonbat is a horrible human being, trading on selling ill-informed nonsense, being paid to say hurtful and damaging things about some very decent people.
I despise him, and wish him nothing but ill.

 

[Daddy Pig]

and also, it will increase migration and boats across the channel, that is why I am in favour of overseas aid, not only because it's the right thing for a relatively wealthy country to do but also self interest as it stops migration.

Depending on what happens to the aid when it gets overseas. How much gets to the people who actually need it ?

 

[Old Tup]

Depending on what happens to the aid when it gets overseas. How much gets to the people who actually need it ?

Too much overseas aid ends up buying Mercs…BMW’s and Landcruisers…
Merc 600‘s were standard transport for Dodgy Despots in their time.