Clarkson’s Farm sparks debate on bovine TB and badger culling

Image: Amazon Prime Video

A protected species or a threat to farming?

In the latest series of his hit TV show Clarkson’s Farm, Jeremy shares his plans to start a beef enterprise with his long-suffering advisor ‘Cheerful Charlie’. But he’s quickly informed that his farm is in a risky area for TB – to which he responds in typical Clarkson fashion, “kill the badgers”.

Having been told in no uncertain terms by several advisors that he cannot kill the badgers on his farm, as they are a protected species, Clarkson takes part in a surveillance project which reveals the presence of TB-infected badgers in and around Diddly Squat.

Now well-known for bringing the challenges of British farming to public attention, the series highlights the devastation caused by TB on British farms, as NFU rep Georgia Craig tells Clarkson his farm will effectively be shut down if TB is detected. It also cost the taxpayer £150 million last year.

Local dairy farmer Emma tells Clarkson she has lost 50% of her herd due to TB and is only staying afloat due to selling milk and milkshakes in Clarkson’s farm shop. She reveals that she and her family do not take a wage from the farm as finances are simply too tight, a situation that many British farmers share, she adds.

Emma suffers a further setback when Clarkson’s plans to open a restaurant – which would have served produce from her farm – is denied planning permission by the council.

The episode received a mixed response, with many viewers praising the Grand Tour star for highlighting the hardship bTB causes and the need for better control measures, including improved testing. While others – wildlife organisations in particular – criticised the show for its stance on badger culling and Clarkson’s quips about wanting to illegally kill badgers.

The Badger Trust, for example, accused the show of scapegoating badgers, describing some of the claims – including a comment that badgers are now an overprotected species as badger baiting is no longer an issue – as “outlandish” and “ill-informed”.

“It’s a massive stress on farmers”

Well-known Welsh farmer Gareth Wyn Jones, however, praised the Diddly Squat team for asking important questions on TB – but stressed that he is not anti-badger or anti-wildlife.

“Thousands of [cows] are being killed and they are an important part of our farming systems,” he said in a video posted to Twitter. “These creatures can turn grass into top quality protein, milk, and everything else. We have to start looking at how we can protect our animals, and wildlife as well, including ground nesting birds and hedgehogs. You don’t see as many of them – the reason being there is an overpopulation of badgers.

“I just want to thank Jeremy Clarkson and Kaleb and everybody on the farm that have really asked a lot of important questions. He’s a big name, a big celebrity and he will get a lot of coverage. We’re just farmers trying to make a living, trying to protect our animals and making sure there’s a future for our children on these farms.”

Speaking as his farm was awaiting TB testing, Gareth said bTB also causes serious mental health struggles on farms and more must be done to protect both livestock and wildlife, whether that be through vaccination, badger culling or other measures. “It’s a massive stress on farmers,” he commented.

Gareth has since revealed one of his pregnant cows will be slaughtered following two inconclusive TB tests, adding that it was “heartbreaking” and the situation “needs to be addressed”.

It was revealed in November last year that the government had extended the badger cull to 11 new zones, including in parts of Oxfordshire in a bid to reduce TB in cattle herds, prompting dismay among wildlife campaigners.

The government has previously announced plans to phase out badger culling and replace it with other methods including improved testing and vaccination of both badgers and cattle. APHA recently confirmed field trials for a cattle vaccine and new skin test have moved to the next phase.

What are your thoughts on the government’s TB eradication methods? Share them with us at editor@farmersguide.co.uk