Stewardship? It’s for the birds, rants Clarkson

Jeremy Clarkson has blasted government guidelines on the use of agricultural land in his latest Sunday Times column.

Last Sunday (12 September) Mr Clarkson used his regular slot in the broadsheet to question the logic of taking land out of food production.

The Top Gear presenter dubbed it “morally reprehensible” that the previous government wanted 70% of Britain’s utilisable agricultural land to be in an environmental stewardship scheme by 2011.

“I like a bird,” he wrote. “I’m even a member of the RSPB. But the notion that more than half my farm is a government-subsidised sanctuary for linnets while the world goes hungry is just stupid.”

This time last year the Top Gear presenter joined the growing ranks of celebrities who own farms when he purchased 45 acres on the Oxfordshire/Gloucestershire border. This is the second time he has used his column to let off steam about gripes on the farm.

You can out more about what he had to say, and voice your own opinions, on FW’s forums.