“Iconic Guernsey breed” to be promoted in new campaign

Tuesday 28 June 2022

The role of local farmers will be showcased to young islanders through a new campaign delivered by Guernsey Dairy and the Guernsey Farmers Association (GFA).

Wild About Guernsey Farming seeks to demonstrate how the island’s dairy industry benefits the island and appropriately manages the countryside. The campaign will feature several initiatives including specific school and education projects.

All local famers and the Dairy hold an RSPCA Farm Assured accreditation which demonstrates high standards of animal welfare. How this is achieved will be highlighted alongside some myth-busting about local farming.

The campaign will start in the coming weeks, and as the year progresses there will be a number of initiatives to champion the local dairy farming community and industry. 

GFA President Michael Bray said: “This is a good opportunity for us to explain how we are actively promoting sustainability, and how we protect and care for the iconic Guernsey breed and the habitat in which they live.”

Pictured: Meadow Court Farm recently took on a new recruits to the dairy industry.

Elaborating to Express, Mr Bray claimed that “a lot of media and vegans often pick up on United States and Argentina news in relation to farming, which is massively different to Guernsey”.

He said the UK has a large focus on cow welfare, and the environment is well placed for cattle because of our native grasses. He also said Guernsey cows spend more than double the recommended amount of time living outside, partly due to mild winters.

“We’re not pushed for yields and our cows are happy sitting in fields, munching away,” he said, labelling Guernsey dairy a “low-mile, local product right on the doorstep”.

Mr Bray argues that while the alternative non-dairy market offers consumers increased choice, some of the products are highly processed and lack natural goodness when compared to Guernsey Dairy products. 

He said many alternative cheeses are made from soybeans “which are massively detrimental to the environment, brought in from god-knows where with lots of additives to imitate the properties of cheese”. 

Guernsey cows are fed a specific feed to ensure balanced nutrition which is sustainably sourced from the UK, according to Mr Bray. 

Pictured: The population of Guernsey cows has been dwindling in recent years.

As well as raising awareness to customers, it is hoped that the campaign will also appeal to a new generation of farmers. 

“It has been great to see more young Guernsey farmers taking up the mantel in recent years and it’s important that this continues,” said Mr Bray. 

Mr Bray supported this by saying that 50% of current dairy farmers are under 30-years-old and either working on their family farm or as newcomers to the industry. 

He added that Jersey is “really struggling with recruitment currently” on their farms and said it's important to strike a balance when retaining staff. 

Andrew Tabel, Guernsey Dairy’s Managing Director concluded: “Farmers of today are every bit as important as their predecessors, being custodians of our unique breed and all the benefits that this brings to the island. This campaign will shine a light on their contribution to the island.”