The recent media exchange between our Patron Chris Packham and Jeremy Clarkson has illustrated that there is still much to understand about our different farming systems and how our food is produced.

Gogglebox sparks farming debate

When Chris Packham described intensive agriculture as dominated by monocultures, heavy chemical use and animals confined indoors on Celebrity Gogglebox, he highlighted the reality of modern industrialised animal production.

Chris explained that “most farms are horrible monocultures, which have been sprayed with deadly chemicals time and time again. The ground is pumped full of fertiliser and most of the animals are indoors in crates”.

Jeremy Clarkson subsequently dismissed Chris’s description in a newspaper column and plenty of online debate has followed.

Farming vs factory farming

Television programmes such as Celebrity Gogglebox inevitably reduce complex issues to a few seconds of conversation. Yet beneath the brief exchange lies an important truth about the way much of our food is produced, 85% of farmed animals are confined in factory farms in the UK.

These industrial systems concentrate thousands of animals indoors, disconnected from the land and often depend on huge amounts of animal feed grown in vast monocultures. These systems are rarely visible to the public. Instead, they are frequently hidden behind labels and imagery that evoke a nostalgic vision of farming, while the reality bears little resemblance to the farmyards of children’s storybooks.

It is, however, important to be clear about what is being criticised. Criticisms of intensive animal production are not a criticism of all farmers. There is a vital distinction between industrial factory farming and the farmers who chose to work with nature, animals and the land using nature-friendly farming methods.

Farmers working with nature

Across the country, there are many farmers who are working with nature rather than against it. Farmers who keep animals outdoors, restore wildlife habitats, nurture healthy soils, reduce reliance on chemical inputs and produce food in ways that benefit animals, people and the environment alike. These farms should be the future of British farming and they deserve recognition and support.

Our Global CEO Philip Lymbery, said:

This is not about being anti-farmer. It is about being honest regarding the differences between farming systems. Some are part of the solution to the challenges facing nature, climate and animal welfare. Others are driving the problem.

The farmers pioneering higher-welfare, nature-friendly approaches should be celebrated. They show that producing food and stewarding the countryside can go hand in hand.

Rather than arguing over personalities, we should focus on the future of farming itself, and on supporting the farmers who are proving that a better way is possible. If we want thriving wildlife, healthy food and high animal welfare, the farmers leading that transition deserve our backing.  Now, that’s where the real common ground lies.

Explore our regenerative farming case studies to learn more about the farmers pioneering nature-friendly farming.

Gogglebox shines a light on farming