Farmers protesting against a council’s plan to have vegan-only food at meetings have won support from Jeremy Clarkson, who described the proposal as “utter madness”.

Oxfordshire County Council is proposing to provide meat and dairy free food at future meetings and events, as well as more plant-based meals on school lunch menus, as part of its efforts to tackle climate change.

Farmers protested outside County Hall in Oxford against the plans this week as part of the Oxfordshire Food and Farmers Rally.

Clarkson, whose Diddly Squat Farm is in nearby Chadlington, said he wished he had joined the protests.

The Grand Tour presenter tweeted: “Farmers of Oxfordshire. I wish I’d known about your protest today. I’d have been there like a shot.

“Madness. Utter utter madness.”

‘Veganism is a choice’

David Pill, who runs a farm near Wantage, joined the Oxfordshire Food and Farmers Rally in order ‘to give the freedom of choice for the councillors to choose what they eat’.

He said: “I think veganism is a choice.

“We are not telling you to eat meat – of course, that would be wrong – but in the same breath they can’t tell their councillors and everyone that they’ve got to eat a vegan diet.

“People look up to Oxfordshire County Council, and with this motion in place, it could have a rippling effect later down the line.

“All of us farmers are worried about the effect this will have on us and that is why we are here today.”

The motion, which said global meat and dairy production was a “significant contributor” to greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation, was passed in December and is set to go before the Cabinet of the Labour, Lib Dem and Green coalition council for approval next month.