Jeremy Clarkson has revealed his harvest is 'already f***ed' after the driest July since records began 190 years ago, with soaring temperatures taking a toll on his farm.
The Clarkson's Farm star, 66, who owns a 1,000-acre farm in Chipping Norton, shared a screenshot of the weather forecast on Instagram, showing temperatures reaching 29C. In the caption, he said his harvest is 'already f***ed' and added, 'May as well just enjoy it now.'
Farmers nationwide struggle with drought
Brutal weather conditions have left farmers reeling nationwide, with punishingly long droughts contributing to financial losses and the decision to scale back planting, which could result in UK-grown shortages this autumn. Farmers have warned that this year's harvest could be the worst on record, causing 'shrinkflation' in supermarkets.
Tim O'Malley, chairman of Nationwide Produce, told Radio 5 Live's Wake Up to Money it is 'as bad as it's ever been', explaining that shoppers will likely encounter smaller vegetables at higher prices. 'We've got crop with stress, or we've got quality issues. So you will see a smaller crop,' he said.
Importing produce 'unheard of'
Grocers are already having to import produce due to subpar conditions at home, with O'Malley saying importing broccoli and lettuce from Spain at this time of year is 'unheard of'.
Clarkson himself was forced into a U-turn on his climate change dismissal after noticing how it was damaging his farm, telling The Guardian in 2024 that his past comments on Top Gear were 'a joke' and merely 'part of the caricature'. He has long been openly critical of the obstacles the farming industry faces, having publicly challenged the government two years ago over planning reforms, campaigning for farmers to convert agricultural buildings into houses and shops.
Passion for farming despite challenges
Speaking to The Independent ahead of Clarkson's Farm's fifth season this year, he stated that farming would be easier 'if we had predictable weather and a sensible government'. 'But because we have neither, it isn't.' 'It's the same all over the world,' he added. 'We have farmers coming to the pub and the shop from everywhere. Australia, America, South Africa, Poland, Finland. They all say the same thing. Weather and government are the two problems.'
Still, Diddly Squat remains his passion project, as he wrote for The Sun last month that, even in scorching temperatures, there's nowhere he'd rather be. 'Some jobs on the farm are unpleasant. Sexing rabbits is annoyingly difficult, and disposing of dead piglets is heartbreaking,' he began. 'But I've been harvesting all week, and this job is an absolute joy.'
'I boing out of bed before dawn, knowing the moisture in the crops will be dead right, and then, from the tractor's lofty seat, I watch the sun rise through the dust cloud being left in the combine's wake. It's a stunning sight.' Clarkson insisted that he enjoys harvesting his fields, even though he doesn't know how well his crops will turn out – and despite the 4am alarm. 'Finally, you turn off the engines, and in the golden-hour silence that results, you crack open an ice-cold bottle of beer and gulp at it as the sun goes down,' he added. 'I've drunk beers in many exotic and beautiful locations over the years, but none of them match the beer you treat yourself to after a hard day's harvesting.'
