3 weeks ago
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Jeremy Clarkson has launched a scathing attack on the Red Tractor campaign's push for eco-friendliness. In his latest book, "Diddly Squat: Home to Roost," the ex-Grand Tour host delves into the initiative by the Assured Food Standards (ASA), expressing his disdain for its new environmentally focused direction.
The 64-year-old broadcaster criticised the move to turn the red tractor symbol green, stating: "Out of the blue, the little red tractor announced it had designs on becoming green. It unveiled a scheme whereby farmers would have to prove that they were not only clean and well-organised but as eco-friendly as a butterfly."
He continued with a touch of sarcasm about the stringent requirements: "It’s perfectly fine, really, for Red Tractor to make sure I’m not selling spring onions that have been fertilised with cocaine, but it’s not fine to insist that before I get my accreditation I’ll need to prove that, underneath the overalls and the beanie, I’m Greta b****y Thunberg."
Jeremy, whose Diddly Squat Farm and subsequent farming programme Clarkson’s Farm have become international sensations, also laid into didn't hold back in his critique of environmentalists either, likening their persistence to "lava" and taking a jab at wildlife presenter Chris Packham.
He said: "Colin [the inspector] will be gone and, in his place, we are going to get one of those pink-haired lunatics who spend the morning throwing soup at paintings and is now in a pair of wellies made from hemp, stomping around the farm telling me to comply with a load of stuff she read about in an XR pamphlet.”
"And now there’s a threat that I’m going to have Chris Packham coming round my farm every 15 minutes saying that I’ll be effectively frozen out of the marketplace until I build a kindergarten for the farm’s baby earwigs and machinegun all my cows."
Despite his fervent rant, he also shared some love for the scheme's current form. He noted: "The next time you go food shopping, have a look to see if there’s a little red tractor on the packaging somewhere."
Explaining the significance of this symbol, Clarkson continued, "It’s important because what this means is that the farmers who grew and reared all the ingredients have spent a whole day in the recent past rolling their eyes and being annoyed.
In order to get a Red Tractor certification my farm has to be inspected to make sure I’m not feeding my pigs dead dogs or using Fairy Liquid to wash the poultry."
Nonetheless, Clarkson perceives benefits in maintaining standards, conceding, "Honestly, though, I think the Red Tractor initiative is probably worth doing because it says the food has been grown by someone who cares. And most important of all it was grown in Britain where the standards are high.
"And it’s nice to know the discerning customer can be made aware of all this with nothing more complicated than a little red tractor on the packaging."
Jeremy Clarkson casting light on the emblematic certification comes just after he spoke of his own health scares and consequential dietary shifts.
Jeremy revealed in the Sunday Times that he had a stent inserted during a hospital procedure to enhance blood circulation within his body.
He expressed his thanks for fan support to The Sun, saying: "I'm very grateful to everyone who sent supportive messages, but I'm fine. I must not do manual labour or dishwasher emptying for the next four years. At least, I think that's what the doctor said."
English (US) ·