Jeremy Clarkson has lamented the “actively anti-farming” Government but he argues farmers have a chance to come together and find solutions to the Government attack on the agriculture sector when they meet at a pivotal moment for the Cereals event on his Diddly Squat farm next year.
In a frank discussion whilst recording a recent Cereals podcast sponsored by Premium Crops, Clarkson also pledges he won’t walk away from farming despite the challenges ravaging the sector.
Clarkson says: “It’s absolute hell now for farmers, we have an actively anti-farming Government who are making things extremely tricky for us all. I’m genuinely really cross as there’s no-one in Government who understands farming.”
The Cereals Event will be held at Clarkson’s Diddly Squat farm on 10-11 June 2026 and is expected to include 550 exhibitors and 25,000 farmers, farm contractors and agronomists. The event is exclusively for farming community and Clarkson hopes it will be a key moment for the agriculture sector’s fight against Government policy.
He says: “We have got to get together and do something about this Government. This is why I’m looking forward to Cereals as we’ll be able to share ideas. To have an event like Cereals where we can come together and chat is crucial. This is where the ideas we need will come from and can be exchanged.”
Cheerful Charlie added: “It’s not only a challenge for farmers at the minute, it’s a challenge for all businesses because nobody has any confidence. It’s about having confidence to invest in the future and farmers and businesses don’t have that at the minute.
“I believe Cereals will be a chance to pump a bit of life and fun into the sector. Just sitting down and burying your head in the sand is never the right thing to do in business. To be able to offer an event like Cereals where there will be some proactive decision making is going to be hugely positive for the sector.
“Farmers are battling with risk management, but we are seeing more collaboration as a result. People are working together through these tough times and that is really important. Cereals is only going to help build on that collaboration.”
Jeremy and Charlie discuss the hardships farmers constantly endure and also reflect on the huge challenges Diddly Squat has faced in recent years, revealing the only good harvest the farm has seen in five years was the one year the cameras weren’t rolling.
Jeremy explains: “The last five years have just been nuts, we’ve gone from one extreme to the other with the weather. The only good harvest we’ve had was the one year we weren’t filming.”
Jeremy also says he hopes Cereals will be an opportunity for farmers to overcome the isolation they are feeling and the stress of farming in the current climate.
He adds: “We joke but farming is a lonely existence. You have one man, losing money and fighting a government that seems to actively not like farming. The despair they will be feeling is tremendous. They will make no money this year and then have to think how they will pay for the seed and fertiliser next year on their own.
“Events like Cereals are really important for farmers to be able to come together and overcome that isolation and worry.
“I’m very lucky as I’m surrounded by people all day and, realistically, I could just walk away. But, I will not walk away.”
Highlights at Cereals in 2026, which is co-hosted by Freuhauf, will include an Agronomy Zone, informational and technical features like the Seed to Shelf Stage sponsored by KWS, the BASE-UK Regenerative Ag Stage sponsored by Tees Law, a Young Farmers Programme sponsored by Michelmores, and the Syngenta & CropLife Sprays & Sprayers Arena and other working demonstrations.
This year will also see a new Livestock Zone sponsored by Nofence alongside an expanded Crop Protection & Nutrition area that will include Organic Agronomy.
Visitors can also socialise in networking areas which includes stands from the Diddly Squat Farm Shop, Hawkstone Bars, The Farmer’s Dog and more. The event will feature Jeremy’s Hops and Harmony Bar sponsored by V12, Kaleb’s Korner sponsored by Nick Young and Gerald’s Gin Joint featuring Hawkstone Gin. Farmers can now register for tickets at www.thecerealsevent.co.uk and applicable trade can enquire online about exhibiting at the event. This is a business-to-business event and so registrations will go through an approval process. Members of organisations including BASE-UK, Farmers Weekly, the National Association of Agricultural Contractors (NAAC) and the National Farmers Union (NFU) will be automatically approved and receive a discount with their membership number.
To manage traffic, there will be comprehensive traffic measures in place and visitors are being asked to choose a preferred entrance date & time. New for 2026, visitors can also book a seat on a Cereals Bus from key locations across the UK including, but not limited to, Elveden Farms, Roy Ward Farms Ltd, Strawson & Law Farming giving farmers priority access on arrival and helping to reduce traffic further.
The first episode of the Cereals Podcast sponsored by Premium Crops is available on all good streaming services. For more information, visit www.thecerealsevent.co.uk
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For more information, or to arrange interviews, please contact Ben Pindar at Red Stag Media on +44 7842 141584 or email
