Select a region
Jersey's farming industry and rural heritage will be the centre of conversation in a two-day event inspired by the 'Glastonbury of Farming' next month... but what is regenerative farming? And why is it so important for the island?
Before the gates to Le Tâcheron Farm open for Regen Gathering, Express spoke to one of the event organisers, HYPHA Consulting's Director of Regeneration, Taylor Smythe, about the many benefits of food production in Jersey and why embracing our local heritage and being connected to the land is vital for its survival...
"The idea emerged after we brought two people from Genuine Jersey and the Jersey Government to Groundswell Agriculture Festival 2023, which is sometimes referred to as the 'Glastonbury of Farming', in England.
"Both were deeply moved by one talk in particular, with Dr Zach Bush, about interconnections between our health and our environment and how this translates into wellbeing for people and communities alike. As a medical doctor, Zach shared his journey into understanding why all health issues come back to how we treat the soil, and the role of regenerative agriculture, farmers, and consumers in transitioning from a system that feeds degenerative disease to one that promotes health and vitality.
Pictured: Regen was inspired by Groundswell Agriculture Festival.
"This experience led to a conversation about the need to rethink how we approach changing our food, farming and healthcare systems and market conditions to value the best agro-ecological farmers and businesses in Jersey. The idea was to host a gathering that focused on farmers of all scales, as well as future farmers, new entrants, and supporting agricultural businesses.
"With workshops, talks and thought-provoking conversations, we wanted people to hear stories from farmers, entrepreneurs, doctors, chefs, and supply network experts."
"There isn’t a universally accepted definition of regenerative agriculture. We also feel that the current narrative is too narrowly focused on soil health, which overlooks the broader potential of regenerative agriculture and business. A truer definition should encompass regenerating public health by producing high-quality food that boosts immune systems, restoring degraded landscapes and ecosystems, and revitalising farm economies by ensuring farms are financially sustainable.
"The most important aspect is that regenerative agriculture restores the capacity for stewardship, meaning we need more people who care deeply about the land in rural areas, not less. Land stewards should be fairly compensated, something agriculture currently struggles with everywhere. At its core, regenerative agriculture is about renewing the relationships between plants and soil microbes, livestock and landscapes, and within the entire supply chain between producers and consumers.
Pictured: "We need more people who care deeply about the land in rural areas, not less."
"Rather than just certifying farms as regenerative, we should be verifying regenerative supply chains. This approach ensures that a significant portion of the money spent on food goes back into strengthening rural economies and enhancing stewardship. Regenerative agriculture should not be limited to improving soil health alone. That’s exactly why Jersey’s Rural Economic Framework is so progressive. It incentivises and rewards local producers for the public benefits they provide, like improving the water cycle, growing food for the local market, growing more diverse crops per square metre, and having open-farm days or on-farm education."
"In September 2023, with just six week’s planning, £9,000, and generous in-kind sponsors, we launched the first Regen Gathering at Le Tacheron. Regen 2023 dramatically surpassed our expectations, with 300 attendees, 25 speakers, 8 exhibitors, live music and local food and drink throughout the event - it was a brilliant success!
Pictured: Regen 2023 saw 30 industry entrepreneurs deliver 26 workshops.
"Following last year’s fantastic event, Regen 2024 has expanded to a free two-day gathering, where 30 entrepreneurs from the UK, France, the US, and Channel Islands will deliver 26 talks and workshops, promoting healthy relationships with food and farming."
"Alan La Maistre, [CEO National Trust and Farmer Le Tacheron], said it best: “We love the heritage of Jersey. We want to see Jersey continue to farm and continue to preserve its rural environment.
Pictured: Regen is about promoting Jersey as a farming industry and preserving its important rural heritage.
"For us, regeneration is all about regenerating the rural community. We want to be part of a vibrant community, working with both large and small farms for a diversified farming future. We hope this conference sparks debate, fosters unity, and inspires a positive outlook on creating a richer, more collaborative rural community, bringing in that Jersey spirit that has been the foundation of the Island’s farming for so many generations.”
"Of course it can! But like everything else, farming has to evolve to meet modern demands while remaining within the constraints of the environment.
"For everyone who knows and cares, it is in the production of food that we face some of the biggest challenges. Jersey has had a fascinating couple of years, with a phenomenal impact on dairy worldwide through the JOA’s Dairy for Development programme; the launch of our progressive and inclusive Rural Economic framework; and the growth of the agricultural industry for the first time in decades. For environmentalists, it is not always easy to see the improvements or understand the positive changes, but they are happening.
Pictured: Local food production – one of the biggest challenges to the industry – is an area of focus of the Regen event.
"When Jess McGovern asked 140 farmers to stand up if they felt positive about the sector, everyone stood up. It was deeply moving to witness.
"We aren’t saving an industry, we are making a commitment to farm the land for future generations and to build healthy local food systems, which is the right thing to do. Regardless of whether you’re left or right, an economist or an environmentalist, growing food in today’s uncertain world is brave and absolutely necessary. We want to communicate why more people should value our local producers for what they deliver to our community. It is about choosing to participate in a food system that we are proud of and passing on those skills to the next generation."
"People. Islanders are losing personal sovereignty and freedom by becoming dependent on external forces, such as inputs, imported food, and chemical interventions, while losing our community connection with a land supported by a biodiverse ecosystem. The need to rebuild our rural community in a sustainable way is at the heart of this issue: people. The biggest change we have seen in the last 30 years is not in landscape, production, or crops, but the removal of people connected to the land."
"The creativity found in both people and nature. Unlike the UK and many other places, Jersey still has relatively small-scale farms, allowing us to build resilience in the face of economic pressures. However, we must choose to support a different type of food system, one that values local producers and prioritises our health and the vitality of our ecosystems.
"Jersey's relatively small-scale agriculture, the 1964 law protecting agricultural land, and its biodiversity make the island unique and a model from which others can learn. Our soils are healthier compared to those in the UK and many other regions. As RJA&HS Chief Executive James Godfrey said, many of ‘our hedgerows remain largely unchanged since records began,’ providing necessary wildlife corridors and habitats for insects, birds, bats, and small mammals.
Pictured: Jersey's soils are "healthier" compared to the UK and other regions.
"With a relatively large population and lots of peri-urban farmland, we have more opportunity to bridge rural and urban communities than more remote farming regions, but it requires widespread support from everyone."
"At the RJA&HS Cultivate education fair, over 100 young people expressed interest in pursuing opportunities in agriculture and horticulture. If we are serious about retaining young people, we need to listen to them and find ways to support their journey into these vital industries which have so much to offer, and upon which we all depend."
The event is taking place on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 September at Le Tâcheron Farm in Trinity. The site opens at 08:30 and closes at 22:00 on each day.
The full itinerary and free tickets can found on their website HERE.
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.