Future of farming conference

[Mark Forskitt]

I was at the conference at Durrell yesterday.  I'll be writing up some points on my blog, but for now I invite you to guess how many of our elected politicians were there supporting and taking an interest in one of our handful of remaining industries?

[Mark Forskitt]

My notes of the conference are here http://st-ouennais.livejournal.com/147360.html

[Calimachon]

Thank you for making your notes available.  I won't profess to understand everything you wrote  but the things I did understand were very interesting.  I am not in favour of genetic modification unlike the young farmer at the conference and it worries me very much that we could actually be using genetic modification already.  Is there any evidence of this that you know of?

I was always under the impression that if an ordinary resident of the island was not allowed to work agricultural land that they purchased unless they were a 'bona fide' small-holder or farmer.

Diversification is surely the way forward.  The increase in the sheep population is encouraging or do they take up to much land that should be used for growing and do they also need too much bought in food to be cost effective for a small-holder/farmer, even though the price per head of sheep is going up I understand both with regard to rearing for their meat and for their fleece.

I am sorry to hear that Research and Development is no longer being funded.

Cali

[man in the street]

 a  good read mark,  lack of r and d, is the usual approach of some, as is the lack of investment in training staff at times . i belive food and the  rising prices  due to shortage  will become  a major problem, not just for us  but the whole world  as  there was a post on here somewhere  about , " the aftershock" 2013  when inflation  really takes a hike , food and fuel prices ,  it was promoting a book  about the possible future .
   as you talked about food storage , i remembered the  recent programe  on sky  called doomsdayers  2012, it was about americans  who are  called "preppers " who are storing  dried food , ect  and have a game plan for when the  dung hits the fan, these are not nutters but ordinary families  who (one in question) could be your neighbour .
 i  was under the impression that the states had  to hold  food supplies in the event of  a large disaster, to  feed rations to the islanders of jersey,  my father was  a member of  jerseys civil defence volunteers , sadly he,s not alive to ask him to refresh my memory.
 i do rember jersey  donating  a big stock of biscuits  to bangladesh sent on board hms jersey.
  makes me wonder where are  our emergency rations today?
 as for obeseity, we may all get thinner  as  we cant afford to buy much food anyway.
 please let us know how many politians  went to the talk, i guess two
 you may spot myself and the wife  food shopping, we are the ones holding up the items , and loudly commenting on the outragous price !, get a bit of support from those around too.

[Mark Forskitt]

Thank you for making your notes available.  I won't profess to understand everything you wrote  but the things I did understand were very interesting.  I am not in favour of genetic modification unlike the young farmer at the conference and it worries me very much that we could actually be using genetic modification already.  Is there any evidence of this that you know of?

I was always under the impression that if an ordinary resident of the island was not allowed to work agricultural land that they purchased unless they were a 'bona fide' small-holder or farmer.

Diversification is surely the way forward.  The increase in the sheep population is encouraging or do they take up to much land that should be used for growing and do they also need too much bought in food to be cost effective for a small-holder/farmer, even though the price per head of sheep is going up I understand both with regard to rearing for their meat and for their fleece.

I am sorry to hear that Research and Development is no longer being funded.

Cali

Ha Cali,
No we do no GM growing here that I know if. The States policy is against it- a success of the Organic Association campaign in the 1990' I believe. I'm wholly against GM anyway. If the Europe give up the fight to remain GM free it could be a very good marketing promotional  asset for the Island  to be formally GM free

Just over half the agricultural land on the island comes under the 1994 law. basically ales of agricultural land brings it under the law.  Not all land is agricultural , and there seems to be a history of not including 'estates' ie big country houses (11k  style).  also parcels under 1 vergee are exempt.  If the land you own is  lowest category (equines and  trees allowed) you will probably be allowed to occupy it anyway, but strictly you should be a bona fide agriculturalist, or a recognisd smallholder.  How you get to be a smallholder until you have access to the land is the obvious question and the reason there has to be some flexibility in the rules

[Mark Forskitt]

 i  was under the impression that the states had  to hold  food supplies in the event of  a large disaster, to  feed rations to the islanders of jersey,  my father was  a member of  jerseys civil defence volunteers , sadly he,s not alive to ask him to refresh my memory.
 i do rember jersey  donating  a big stock of biscuits  to bangladesh sent on board hms jersey.
  makes me wonder where are  our emergency rations today?
 as for obeseity, we may all get thinner  as  we cant afford to buy much food anyway.
 please let us know how many politians  went to the talk, i guess two
 you may spot myself and the wife  food shopping, we are the ones holding up the items , and loudly commenting on the outragous price !, get a bit of support from those around too.

Yes it was two who attended. Roy Le Herrisier and Carolyn Labey.
As far as I  can  tell the Co-op are he  biggest holders in terms of days provision of food in the island.  I'll ask Jim Hopley next time I see him to give a bit more detail.  it used to be law that commercial bakeries had to hold something like 6 weeks flour on site to cover for  shipping problems.  that went in the 1970's I think. Holding stock is a cost (cash tied up) so commercial operators don't want to do it.  it may be god accountancy , but it is rotten food security.

Here is the frightening news about food prices.  Despite recent rises the proportion of income spent on food in the West is the lowest it has ever been at around 12%. pre war it would have been 40%,a nd in some parts of the world is it over 60%. 

[man in the street]

the holding of flour  way back in the 70, s  would tie in with the civil defence  document  that  i have somewhere . faced with  along time of bread from ci bakeries , i would  get in a boat with some mates and row to france  or sail to get flour , i kid you not , the network of  long lost mates will pool together if needs must.
 rent food and fuel are the biggest out goings in our home .
 if parishes have  good land  laying fallow , could food not be grown on it? the food would be sold at the parish hall or other outlet, the old  sthelier  welfare office  would make a good shop, the labour came from the unemployed  of the parish , and if the  other parishes  did not have enough to work the land , the unemployed  could be bussed to where needed , senior citizens  would be entitled to discount on fresh veg if purely on a state pension.