Guernsey faces farmer imports
Wednesday 28th April 2010, 11:30AM BST.
GUERNSEY needs more young farmers – and if none are found locally, they could be brought in from the UK.
There were more than 300 dairy farmers 65 years ago but that has plummeted to 18. A Commerce and Employment spokesman said that if the trend continued, UK farmers might have to come in to work the land.
‘There are good opportunities in the future for young local people to enter the industry but if sufficient do not come forward, then young farmers from England or other countries might come to the island either to manage a dairy herd or to purchase one,’ he said.
Machines have replaced man for many laborious farming jobs. ‘Mechanisation and a change to silage-making means the heavy work involved in hay making and muck carting is largely a thing of the past.’
New farmers would be needed to take over existing units, where investment in good facilities has taken place over the last decade and, while that often happened from within a farming family, it was also possible for a manager to take on or even lease the farm.
Island Life
All about Guernsey
Ambassador of the Year 2011
History & Heritage
Visitor Information
Guernsey's government
Campaigns
Voice For Victims
Voice for Victims is a campaign aimed at promoting the rights of those affected by child sexual abuse.
This is Guernsey
Guernsey Press
Useful Links
I’d happily work on a farm if the wage was increased.
Report abuse
What a joke.. I’m a farmers son. With years of experience and I would love to go back in to farming. But there is no way I can afford to farm on Guernsey.
It’s too late.. we’ve sold out all the farms to the rich imports. Who are happy to go an buy everything from M&S… not the local farmer.
Farming in Guernsey is nearly dead. when the present farm close down the house and land will be snapped up by rich imports.. sad but true.
Report abuse
Hi, I’m responding to this article from my office in South Africa. I’m currently in bussiness as a biological agricultural farming consultant. My method is more towards the more friendlier and natural way of farming. I cocentrate a lot on vegetable farming. I would grab a oppertunity to get involve in leasing or purchasing a farm or farmland in the situation that you are describing in the article to make a longterm living in Guernsey. I believe the question would be how does one as a white South African get involve in such a project because I strongly believe there is a big future in my method of biological farming world wide and I could create a good future for my small family in your country. This is in short the way I see it. I would like to hear your responce on this and maybe I could explain more on what I do
regards Gerhard Starbuck
Report abuse
I agree with you here Melc, if you pop into any M&S they have potatoes from Israel? Surely it’d be far cheaper, and better for the environment to get potatoes locally, I for one always buy potatoes off the hedge.
Report abuse
Gerhard
If you Google States of Guernsey Agriculture and Environment you will get some contact details
Report abuse
Hi, my dad is a farmer, he is a very hard worker he works from 5.30am to 12pm with maybe 2/3 hours to have a break. I love working on the farm when I can. but my dad wants me to work in other areas in other types of business as there is no money in farming here in Guernsey. It is so sad. Farmers here in Guernsey, found it very hard to find land it is always be taken away from them for rich horse people or people that want a bigger garden. My friend who is 24 he wants to start farming, here in Guernsey. He has got 12 young cows and is waiting for them to come in to milk, but all of his milk will have to go down the drain because the Guernsey Diary and the States will not let him in to farming because he young, needs a bit more land, and need a stable or building. What wrong with the old way of farming in the field.
I know all the young farmer here in guernsey. I think we should have support from the Diary and the states, but they do not want to help us. they just want to buy in the milk and other products so they can make more money.
In 20 to 30 years there will be only a number working farms left on this island. its very sad but very true. As a lot of farmers like my dad are getting older and they do not want there kids working all hours for little money and NO thank you’s.
Report abuse
GG – you don’t get paid a wage, you make a living.
Report abuse
Come On.. we have hundreds of unemployed… can’t they farm instead of scrounge ?
Report abuse
Sounds like another little twist of the chains that bind the locals by the local States(If there are any locals)
Just another ruse to get foreigners into our Island hoping more locals will leave,
Roll on next election, show them who should rule and who gets their derriere kicked- but had.
Report abuse
@ young farmer
just want to correct you on one thing, not all horse owners are rich very often the opposite is true and we sacrifice things to keep our horses and i certainly dont have acres of land again the opposite is true. So dont tar us all with the same brush.
Report abuse
I used to farm in Guernsey, but with no support from the Committee for Agriculture as it was then I sold up and now live in the UK. I had no support from the States when I tried to build modern buildings and the agricultural ‘advisor’, who lived in the island under licence who incidentally is still there was not interested in helping small farmers. I could not see a future in farming in Guernsey and unless there is a massive turnaround in attitude from the states I doubt there ever will be.
Report abuse
GG – potatoes don’t grow on a hedge.
Report abuse
rachael
Young Farmer said,
found it very hard to find land it is always be taken away from them for rich horse people.
he/she didn`t tar everyone with the same brush,
Report abuse
GG
Yes, you wont work for that wage, neither will most Guerns.
Hmmmm, where to get the people from???
Report abuse
Are you sure? I always grow mine in my hedge. Makes them taste better.
Report abuse
@Ex Farmer
You’re so right.. 20 years ago the agricultural ‘advisors’ were saying they only wanted a handfull of large farms as they were easier to control and look after..
Now they are starting to panic cuz they will be none left soon. And there are no small farmers to grow and fill the gaps anymore.
We as an Island should alway protect the small traders regardless of what industries they are from. But sadly money talk and the fat cats will alway get the cream.
We’re far better off with 100 small farms then we are with 5 big farms.. But I would say that it’s too late to turn it around now.
We’re seeing the end of our enviroment as we know it.. Guernsey will be a rich retirement home soon. and nothing else..
The system we’ve got in Guernsey always seem to want to stamp the little guy out and stop small traders.
But how many business have started in garden sheds and small holdings.
Report abuse
bcb
Good spot.
Report abuse
ex farmer, you are spot on there, the advisor wanted a few big farms, and to get rid of all the old traditional farmers as they were happy as they were and didnt want change, or to be told how to change.Everyone had to put in slurry stores, and now, instaed of spreading little and often, everyone is out with the tankers on 2nd of jan and then every fine day afterwards, so now the whole island seems to stink of slurry!
I may be wrong, but i am certain that years ago, land had to be kept for farming, this has now changed, as when you reach the stage of there being more horses than cattle in guernsey, you are going to need a large amount of land for the four legged glue suppliers! one only has to drive around to see the amount of fields with permanent horse fencing erected to see that the enviroment dept and the agricultural advisors dept are more interested in appeasing the rich who have bought many of these old working farms to modernise and put a pony in the field next door for little Tarquin and Tabitha to ride around on.And am i right in believing that if a field is “converted ” for horse use, ie, post and rail fencing etc, that the use is changed from agricultural to recreational,if that is so, there is a few retrospective applications needed to be posted to the IDC.
Yet again, the rich financiers of the island get what they want at the cost of the islands excellent farming heritage and history,no wonder people cannot or do not want to start farming when a horse person is prepared to pay ludicrous amounts of money to buy or rent land near to them to keep a nag in, no farmer can compete with these prices. Yet again another island industry gone, to appease the finance industry.
Now i will wait for the usual “blame the finance industry for everything” responses, but for someone who was very close to the farming industry, i think i am not far wrong in my comments…
Report abuse
To be fair to the horse owners, a lot of them actually help farmers in that they need someone to do tractor work for them which they pay for and I never found they wanted all the land they could get, just enough for their horse/pony. The culprits to me are the states for not supporting small farmers, as flyer and melc say, the committee and the advisor only wanted a few large farms, not all us small people. We are the ones which have left the industry (and I actually do miss getting up daily to milk cows!), the people who caused the problems are the ones that are still there, ie the committee and their employees!
Report abuse
@ bcb, reading young farmers comment again i think it could be interperted either way so not sure which way it was meant!
Before this turns into a horse owning bashing thread just remember some farmers have given up farming and run horse livery yards on their property and fields . So all the fencing on farmland isnt necessarily the rich having bought out the farmer.
I think its a real shame how farming is dying out and can see how in years to come there’ll not be any working farms left but how can things be sensibly turned around? I always buy my tatties and veg as well as hay from local farmers as well as from farmers market but how else do we support farmers because its no use moaning about lack of farming if we all nip down the supermarket to buy veg etc.
Report abuse
If a Greenhouse owner wants change of use for his working buildings 99 times out of a hundred he is refused and has to turn it back to agriculture.
If a farmer wants to convert his working buildings to homes or horse stabling 99 times out of a hundred he can,
the Farmer expects to sell his land/buildings to the higher bidder when he retires so he does. with no thought for the survival of the industry.
I am not a rich incomer but please dont blame them for buying the nice big farmhouses and Barns, as it is only them that can afford the prices these overpaid farmers have demanded.
We see from the article above that we now have only 18 farmers, with in exess of 2 million pounds being given as subsidy by the States to the farmers every year,as well as the milk price from the Dairy, dont tell me that there is no incentive
Report abuse
Its taken ten years, but many farmers will recall all the meetings we had with the States departments in 2000, when even then, we could see that this would happen. I was angry enough at that time to close down what was probably the most technologically advanced dairy farm in the islands. And even after all this time, I’m at a total loss to understand the short-sighted attitude of those who are responsible for the dairy industry.
Although both my children went on to study animal management and agriculture in the UK, unless the States departments get their act together, I fail to see any worthwhile future careers for them in Guernsey.
Having said that, I just hope that I’m proved to be wrong.
Report abuse
It is such a shame local farming and growing is fading out as i would pay for local produce, instead of imported tastless trash from around the world proberly with preservative chemicals in doing us no good. i have been growing my own veg for a few years bringing my kids up in this way is a good idea but sadly to say being a local i am now thinking of running from this island due to costs and the way the states have wrecked it.
Report abuse
I lived in Guernsey from age 4 and a half to age 14. I was educated at Notre Dame primary school and then Blancheland Girls College. After living in Guernsey for 10 years I moved to New Zealand with my parents. I have since qualified as a farmer with Level 3 in Farm Management and Certificate in Agriculture level 3.I am now 18.
I fully respect the demands of a farmer today and the skills and techniques which are needed. I would love to come home to Guernsey and develop my skills further. Unfortuantely even though I lived there for 10 years and was educated there I have been told that I still need a right to work or a license. If this can be arranged I would love to come back and develop my skills in farming further. If someone could let me know how to do this I would be grateful
Report abuse
Just to echo the comments from Rachael (and other relevant posts) My friend and I are horse owners and are by no means wealthy.
We currently rent and maintain several vacant fields which are owned by local farmers at a considerable cost. The rental agreements are in place until such time the farmer wishes to take the land back for his own use.
This obviously suits both parties, we have somewhere to graze our horses, and the famer is gaining an income for the use of his land. I’m sure that there are many similar situations island wide.
Again, I realise that this isn’t a horse owning thread, but I just wanted to point out that many horse owners are actually supporting the local farming industry.
I do also try to support local farming by buying local produce wherever possible, and it would be a terrible shame to see the industry completely die out in the future.
Report abuse
I sincerely hope the politicians of this Island are reading these posts.
Britten imports 66% of its food and I expect the figure is higher for this Island. With the world population growing at an alarming rate, food production will be one of the most important issues we face.
You can have all the money in the world, if there is no food on the table its worthless. Our farming industry and farmers are most important to our survival.
When the food runs out we will eat the bankers first then the lawyers then the politicians and then hope that by that time farmers will have grown enough food for the rest of us.
Ignore the importance of farmers and farming at your peril.
Report abuse
@CM
Think you got the wrong… shouldn’t you eat the most useless first 1. politicians 2. estate agents 3.lawyers and the bank managers..
Report abuse
Why bother with farming at all, we can import anything produced here at a fraction of the cost cant we ? Then we could free up the land for other things, like a footy pitch and an ever increasing hospital and airport boundry!
Report abuse
Simon, you’re joking right?
Report abuse
GG
Seriously those nice farmers could get a bank job or something nice like that, where they dont have to work night and day just to barely earn a crust eh!
Report abuse
All the banking jobs are being taken by foreign migrants, I doubt a farmer with farming qualifications would simply get a job at the click of their fingers.
Local vegetables taste far better than those from abroad, and when you’re buying them you know you’re helping local people. Our milk is to a very high standard, far better than that from the UK.
I imagine a farmer would much prefer to be working the land, outside in the fresh country air, than stuck inside breathing in air conditioned air.
You also say “Free up the land”, I for one would want fields to stay as they are, fields much nicer than “footy pitches” or housing for foreign migrants.
Report abuse
Back to our roots now the finance industry is finished.
Report abuse
@ GG. “All the banking jobs are being taken by foreign migrants”
You’re either extremely dim, or a troll!
Report abuse
GG WOULD YOU PLEASE SHUT UP ABOUT ‘foreign migrants.’!!!
its getting so boring now!
And another thing DO SOME RESEARCH!
You would be nothing without foreign imports you’d live on tomatoes all day.
you are by far the most offensive and uneducated posted i’ve seen on this blog.
Report abuse
Jo – I’m sure GG would vary his/her diet with the occasional spider crab, ormer casserole and limpet stew.
Wouldn’t be able to make beanjar nor a good old Guernsey gache though. Not without foreign imports ;)
Report abuse
Jo, mate. I was referring to those in banks, if you thought I was referring to food, you are very much confused.
Greg mate, Foreign Migrants are taking over the banking industry, they’d much rather have a a foreign migrant than a local farmer.
Report abuse
Oh look GG’s on about ‘foreign migrants’ again!
The only point you ever have to make is to keep this island for the locals. English, bad. All foreigners, bad. Send them back.
Ok. Let’s do. While we’re at it let’s go global.
Get all the Australians out of Australia and give it back to the aborigines.
Get all of the African-Americans, Pensilvania Dutch, in fact the majority of the population of the Americas back to their original countries.
I have a feeling though that Europe might become over-crowded if we do that. And if we’re only supposed to eat home-grown produce, we may have a problem with food shortages too.
Apart from that, I can’t see any problem with your proposals!
Report abuse
GG – one of the most ridiculous comments I have heard – “all the banking jobs are being taken by foreign migrants”. What position are you to make that sweeping statement that factually is not true? Do you have evidence that no one else has? You do realise that any comment you make now (about anything) has no credibility because of such an inaccurate and foolish comment….
Report abuse
GG, I know from your previous posts that you’ve not got any experience in finance, so you are talking rubbish. In every bank i’ve worked at, locals have easily outnumbered “foreign migrants”. Granted, there weren’t many local farmers either, but you are insulting local people here with your ignorance.
Or you are a troll!
Report abuse
GG – please do not ever call me your ‘mate’ again.
I can imagine little worse than being associated to you as your ‘mate’.
You said “Local vegetables taste far better than those from abroad, and when you’re buying them you know you’re helping local people. Our milk is to a very high standard, far better than that from the UK.” – are you denying that’s referring to food are ya?
I don’t think you’ve ever had a comment back from one of your ridiculous post that has been agreeing or supporting you, when are you going to catch on that you’re the ONLY idiot in the village here?
Report abuse
As usual this whole debate is dominated by a hanful of small minded Guerns who seem to think every problem with this island is the fault of rich immigrants working in the finance industry.
The fact is there are now over 65,000 of us crowded on to this tiny rock and the vast majority are locals. Every one of us – locals included – who has built an extension, or a garage, or a swimming pool, or a patio, or even put up kids swings on the field out back – we are all equally to blame for the gradual erosion of our farmland. (And yes, I am local myself before the Guernsey Liberation Army start calling for my deportation).
As with most of the problems facing this island it always seems to boil down to over-poulation. Of course immigration has an impact on that, but the majority of the population, by far, are local people. We all need homes and the law of supply and demand means that land has become a precious commodity. How can a farmer possibly make a living when the land he uses to feed his cattle on is worth several times more then the herd itself?
If the finance industry collapsed tomorrow and all the immigrant workers went home and the value of land fell dramatically, I still don’t believe farming would be economically viable becuase the local demand for land to build on would still be there.
Report abuse
Sorry Jo, mate.
I haven’t said to deport anybody, I infact think that immigration is good. But not when companies start employing foreign migrants, instead of “over qualified” local people.
CD, I find it hard to believe that you think the majority of the island are local. I think you will find that we are in minority, thanks to these foreign migrants.
I’ve worked in the banking industry, and yes the majority are local people, but all I was doing was responding to Simon, who thinks that farmers should just go into a bank. But they can’t.
Sorry if you all get confused, I bet it’s a hard life being foreign.
Report abuse
I actually like GG`s posts, there`s nothing like a good old laugh when reading all that rubbish, i cant believe anyone even takes it seriously, i`m sure its just a wind up.
GG my daughter is from a foreign land so i will send her packing in the morning, she`s only 16 but i`m sure i will be doing the right thing by kicking her out?. maybe we could do a march together?…
Report abuse
Ok, to all of you locals worried about the state of Guernsey’s farming, here’s a challenge. Do you know someone (friend or family) that has land that could be used for agriculture that is currently fallow? Approach them about using part of it for growing vegetables on. Even if it’s an old vinery, clear a patch and get cracking.
Can’t be bothered? Why not get off your PC and do something useful and healthy! And if you still can’t be bothered, stop moaning about the suggestion of foreigners being brought in to do this sort of thing! If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.
The other point to note regarding migrants is that most of them are doing jobs that you locals are not willing or able to do. Did that sting just a little bit?
Report abuse
GG. Why can’t farmers work in a bank? Are you telling me that NO farmers have EVER worked in a bank?
Must get myself to the doctor quick as I’ve obviously been suffering from hallucinations as I’ve worked in banking and have worked an ex farmer. Or so I thought.I must have lost the plot because GG is always right……
Report abuse
Dave Jones has a spare field…
Report abuse
GG wouldn’t approve of using a foreign migrant’s local field though Bob!
Report abuse