Speaking exclusively to the British Farming Awards after receiving a special award for Flying the Flag for British Agriculture, farming’s most famous partnership praised the drive and integrity demonstrated by farmers across the industry.
“We shouldn’t be the country’s most popular farmers because all farmers should be popular,” said Jeremy Clarkson, who described himself as a ‘trainee farmer’.
“Every time you sit down to eat something you are eating something that is made by British farmers.
“If there is a Red Tractor on your food packaging it was grown in Britain so buy that because if it has not come a long way to get here.”
Reflecting on the heavy criticism farmers often face from the wider public in their role as food producers, Kaleb Cooper was insistent at the willingness to embrace sustainable farming practices.
“If anyone thinks that a farmer is out there to make food as cheap as possible and abuse that role, they are wrong,” he said. “Farmers care and they care so much.”
And Mr Clarkson utilised his platform to highlight the bureaucracy piled on farmers by the Government, which he believed was stopping farmers from ‘just getting on and doing their job.’
“The Government is stopping subsidies and grants so if they are not going to pay us to grow food they have now lost their right to tell us what to do,” he added.
“They have to back off and allow us, I say us but I am still learning, but allow people like Kaleb and Charlie, people like everyone in that awards room to make decisions that are best for where they live.
“If the Government is not paying they can hardly object. We cannot allow them to dictate anymore. I have met people in Government now and they are not impressive.”
On winning their award last Thursday, Mr Cooper said he felt like a ‘little kid’ to have won the award, but he also praised the great team he worked with.
“Behind every good farm is a great farming team.,” he added.
Mr Clarkson agreed and praised his young farmer ‘teacher’ as being the real star of the show.
“I could not have done this without you, you are the star of the show, apart from Gerald,” he added.
“But what was great, and I’m sure everyone in the room would say the same thing, every farm has a Gerald, every farm has a Charlie, every farm has a Kevin, every farm has an Ellen, every farm has a landowner and every farm has a Kaleb.”