Safety groups criticise image used for Clarkson’s Farm promo

Farm safety groups have criticised a photo used to promote the new series of Clarkson’s Farm that shows one of the programme’s stars, Kaleb Cooper, balanced on the front weight block of a tractor with his boss at the wheel.

The show has proved hugely popular with the wider public and farmers have praised it for raising the profile of British agriculture.

The second series is set to air later this year on Amazon Prime Video.

But farm safety groups said they were disappointed and alarmed the photo had been used, given the industry’s poor safety record.

See also: Farmers Weekly launches campaign to make our industry safer

Stephanie Berkeley, manager of the Farm Safety Foundation, said: “This programme could be a great way to help improve this, so it is a pity that they chose to use this photo displaying such poor safety behaviour.

“Agriculture continues to have the poorest safety record of any occupation in the UK and we are working hard to change that.”

It required hiding in piles of potatoes and behind hay bales, but we’ve finally got some pics of #ClarksonsFarm season 2. Excited? 🐑 🚜 pic.twitter.com/SnSpXU08Xd

— Prime Video UK (@primevideouk) February 1, 2022

Elizabeth Creed, farm safety consultant at the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, said it was “highly disappointing” the photo had featured in the promotion for the new series.

“It is frustrating that the team at Clarkson’s Farm did not recognise that their platform has a huge potential for influencing and encouraging a positive safety culture in farming,” she said.

“We have suffered a number of fatal incidents this year.

“The HSE report detailing the injury rates and ill health published in December, showing that 12,000 workers have suffered an injury in the past year, requires us all to commit to making a change to our industry.”

Filming for the new series of Clarkson’s Farm started last year.

A production spokesperson said: “As our first series showed, Jeremy has great respect for the farming community.

“The programme is not a ‘how to guide’ for farmers, who already know far more than he does about farming.”