Jeremy Clarkson's Sunday Times Magazine "Farming" article

Pilatus

Member
Location
cotswolds
Some may find this entertaining, but a very serious article as well.
If someone can scan the original article on to here please do
 

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Pilatus

Member
Location
cotswolds
Far too sensible to be taken seriously by our leaders
I hope @Janet Hughes Defra will read it.
I am sure most of us connected with agriculture entirely agree with what Jeremy has written. Very sad that those in high places will not read it or if they do it will not suit the Governments agenda on the future of Uk agriculture and food supplies.
What is so serious is it is just common sense that as a large island we need to be as self sufficient in food as possible.
 

Farmer_Joe

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
The North
Best point he makes is about global carbon,

if we buy food in it is higly likely to have a higher carbon footprint than stuff made here, plus the shipping on top, how does that stack up on global emissions,

government are just full of tossers, can’t even control electric prices. They should just buy them all up,one thing (and only) I agreed with Corbin on, all untilites government owned…
 

bluebell

Member
same as making toys, that were made in chinia? Toy importer seller was saying that a 40ft container has gone from £3000 shipping cost, shanghi to felixstowe, to £18,000 , now it dosnt look so cheap to get things made in chinia, as the TV programme dragons den used to preach?
 

Ffermer Bach

Member
Livestock Farmer
Best point he makes is about global carbon,

if we buy food in it is higly likely to have a higher carbon footprint than stuff made here, plus the shipping on top, how does that stack up on global emissions,

government are just full of tossers, can’t even control electric prices. They should just buy them all up,one thing (and only) I agreed with Corbin on, all untilites government owned…
I was told the NZ lamb, even with transport had a lower Carbon cost than Welsh lamb, however we have to think about the costs to the countryside too, if we export all our production, as well as food security. Plus, I have a feeling Jucinda Arden is very busy sorting out the export of food from NZ anyway, soon it will be covered with pine trees, so multinational companies can claim to be Carbon Neutral!
 

Davey

Member
Location
Derbyshire
I was told the NZ lamb, even with transport had a lower Carbon cost than Welsh lamb, however we have to think about the costs to the countryside too, if we export all our production, as well as food security. Plus, I have a feeling Jucinda Arden is very busy sorting out the export of food from NZ anyway, soon it will be covered with pine trees, so multinational companies can claim to be Carbon Neutral!

I understand these massive ships are very efficient on a mile per tonne basis but I just don't see how that can possibly be true?

I'm not saying you are wrong, just my head can't make sense of it!?
 

HatsOff

Member
Mixed Farmer
I understand these massive ships are very efficient on a mile per tonne basis but I just don't see how that can possibly be true?

I'm not saying you are wrong, just my head can't make sense of it!?
It was a paper by Saunders et al back in the 2000s. What it boiled down to was higher nitrogen use in the UK made the overall carbon footprint larger.

But most research into this area just says it's almost impossible to make a direct comparison and there's probably not much in it.
 

Davey

Member
Location
Derbyshire
It was a paper by Saunders et al back in the 2000s. What it boiled down to was higher nitrogen use in the UK made the overall carbon footprint larger.

But most research into this area just says it's almost impossible to make a direct comparison and there's probably not much in it.

I did have a quick Google this afternoon and as far as I can see all numbers go back to some research funded by 3 big NZ companies a number of years ago.

The main argument seemed to be that the weather in NZ allows them to grow more grass for more of the year? Beyond that the slaughter process and road transportation is the same in NZ as here.

Still seems like some creative accounting to my mind 🤷‍♂️
 

MCook

Member
Trade
Location
Kent
I'm sure someone told me that some of these 'lower carbon cost' producers from abroad were making these claims because they were not including the actual carbon cost of the transport, claiming that the plane/ship was transporting other suppliers' goods as well and therefore was not a direct cost to themselves.

As stated above, logic dictates that something transported half way around the world surely cannot have a smaller carbon footprint than something produced in a similar manner in your own country.
 
I was told the NZ lamb, even with transport had a lower Carbon cost than Welsh lamb, however we have to think about the costs to the countryside too, if we export all our production, as well as food security. Plus, I have a feeling Jucinda Arden is very busy sorting out the export of food from NZ anyway, soon it will be covered with pine trees, so multinational companies can claim to be Carbon Neutral!


Science can prove anything given someone spending some money on a "Scientist".

Strangely enough a NZ University given NZ money can prove NZ Lambs rocks okay !

Very frustrating our much vaunted Red Tractor Auditors don't audit that science -but I bet there's no money in it for Red Tractor, plenty of money for the farmers who are paying Red Tractor though.

Tail wagging the dog IMHO.
 

Davey

Member
Location
Derbyshire
Science can prove anything given someone spending some money on a "Scientist".

Strangely enough a NZ University given NZ money can prove NZ Lambs rocks okay !

Very frustrating our much vaunted Red Tractor Auditors don't audit that science -but I bet there's no money in it for Red Tractor, plenty of money for the farmers who are paying Red Tractor though.

Tail wagging the dog IMHO.

Or some other type of group dedicated to representing the interests of UK farmers, a type of Union if you will 🤔
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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  • Up to 25%

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  • 25-50%

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  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 5 2.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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