Clarkson's Farm credited with boom in student demand for agriculture courses

Jeremy Clarkson's hit Amazon Prime TV show, Clarkson's Farm, is inspiring thousands more students to pursue a career in agriculture, according to statistics from the UK's leading agricultural colleges.

Land agent and agronomist Charlie Ireland, or Cheerful Charlie as they call him on the show, has been partly credited for the rise in applications, as his key role on Jeremy Clarkson's Cotswolds farm has spotlighted the variety of roles the industry can offer.

The latest statistics have revealed that student applications for agricultural courses have risen significantly over the past five years, with colleges attributing the rise in part to the so-called ‘Clarkson effect'.

Overall, recent official statistics show across the sector there was an 8% rise in 2024 in the number of students accepted onto agricultural courses, compared to 2023. 

Even more revealing, since 2019, it’s reported a rise of almost 20% in agriculture, food and related programmes.

TV shows like Clarkson's Farm helped to shine a light on the realities of farming, and have appealed to those in urban areas who might not otherwise have considered agriculture as a career. 

One of the strengths of these shows is how they demonstrate the breadth of experience new entrants to farming, even celebrities and soap stars, need to draw upon to make their farms a success.

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