Most years I attend the annual Farming Conference organised by the Jersey Department of the Environment with the Department of Economic Development etc...
I am always frustrated at the outcome because so much is repeated every year without much evident change actually taking place.
Pollution and alternative crops have been talked about in Jersey for ever - but it is obvious that the crunch time has now arrived and the "phase-out" dates for so many commonly used chemicals are now imminent.
I don't think any approaching EU reforms were mentioned (beyond the ending of use for some chemicals) but the industry seems to believe that marketing of Jersey produce and any new initiatives will be acceptable in future....
This year's Conference was visibly starved of funding and reduced to just a half-day morning session (9am to 1pm) for seven speakers to deliver their valuable specialist talks - besides the two Ministers - and a coffee break.
Although hardly advertised, the room at La Mare Vineries was more or less filled with about 90 attendees but I suspect that "engaging" with the general public (an important theme of one speaker) was not a priority for the "agri" dominant organisers.
Although we were promised ample time for questions and the chance to engage with the speakers this opportunity never really materialised and my attempts at interviewing some of the speakers were speedily curtailed by "a voice."
I have posted the results here and am grateful for the opportunity to record something from Fiona and Ian Waller and Lucy Hopwood.
Others were willing, but hurried away by the organisers.
followed by Lucy Hopwood of NNFCC (National Non-Food Crops Centre).
My thanks to them and sorry we were cut short....
Bearing in mind that our government has just voted to embark upon a new hospital project that will probably cost £800 millions it is surprising that such an important matter as Farming is so little supported...
It is a great pity too that the general public and the farming community cannot have some more meaningful meetings and discussions - but maybe they do and I am just not invited...
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