By Taylor Smythe from Hypha Consulting
Most people think of Jersey as a picture-postcard island, famous cows, rugged coastline, and quiet charm. But something new is emerging: a bold, Island-led transformation of the food system. Jersey is beginning to ask and answer some of the most urgent questions of our time. How do we feed ourselves well? How do we protect our land and marine resources? How do we build market sovereignty, resilience and food security? And how do we ensure the next generation of farmers isn’t the last?
We’re not the only ones asking and trying to answer these questions and that’s why we’re launching the £20K Food System prize. We want to hear from anyone with an innovative idea or an existing business coming up with solutions for improving food, farming and health.
We have an expert panel of judges and will be announcing the winners at the Jersey Farming Conference in November. Regen is now in its third year and is more than a festival; it’s a movement. This free two-day event brings together farmers, chefs, healthcare professionals, policymakers, investors, and anyone passionate about the food they eat and how it shapes health, the environment and society.
Held on Le Tacheron farm in the heart of Trinity, in the open air, and led by the people who work with soil and community every day, it offers a glimpse into how a small island can lead the way in reimagining our food future
A Small Island with a Long Legacy
Jersey has a phenomenal history where agriculture, market innovation, and wealth generation have thrived for over 1,200 years. From becoming the first 100% LEAF accredited dairy industry, to its strong tradition of producing high-quality produce and seafood, Jersey has always punched above its weight.
Today, that legacy is evolving. As an island, Jersey is acutely exposed to external shocks. Global food price volatility, supply chain disruptions, and a changing climate are forcing islanders to ask difficult but necessary questions about food resilience and security. But islands are also powerful, because of their ability to move fast. Change can take root quickly here, and Jersey is proving it..
Reigniting Energetic Link Between People with Food and Land
The disconnect between our people and our food system is widening globally, but Jersey is telling a different story. Here, farmers are at the centre of the conversation that links soil to health, hospitality and innovation. It’s a gathering focused on the best local and global agricultural practices, with ideas grounded in the uniqueness of a place.
And the results are beginning to show. In just four years, the number of rural businesses has tripled. From market garden vegetable schemes and regenerative grazing, the Island’s rural economy is becoming more diverse, and therefore, more resilient. The Rural Economic Framework, launched in 2022, and a new, flexible support scheme doesn’t simply pay by the hectare or by the cow. It rewards conservation crops, cover cropping, field margins, regenerative and organic practices, and local market supply.
Hedgerows are more than just boundaries; they are wildlife corridors, windbreaks, and carbon sinks. Around 1,927 kilometres of hedgerows have now been mapped, protected, and funded through the scheme. That’s the equivalent distance from Jersey to Gibraltar and back. This is real investment in the living infrastructure of our landscape.
Finance is a critical part of this shift. For the regenerative transition to succeed, capital must flow differently. That’s why the Regen Gathering intentionally brings together those working in finance with those working the land. Regenerative farming doesn’t just require vision. It needs viable funding models that prioritise long-term health, community and sustainability, over short-term gain.
Regenerating the Future
What Jersey is building isn’t nostalgic, it’s about possibility. This is a future where food, health, hospitality, and finance are interconnected. A future in which young people see a meaningful role in agriculture. Where biodiversity, business, and community go hand in hand. Where the food system heals more than it harms.
It all starts with a simple principle: what we water, grows. When we invest in local food, we invest in our own resilience. When we support rural businesses, we secure market sovereignty. When we centre soil, health, and community in our policies, we make the future not just more sustainable, but more liveable.
Jersey’s agriculture has changed the world before, and once again, this small island might hold the clues for how other places can start writing their own future.
Prize Launch 24th July – apply at www.regen-gathering.com
Save the date: 5/6th September, Le Tacheron Farm, Jersey. Programme goes live 1st August and free tickets available from then via www.regengathering.com
5 Responses
As a former Senator and deputy in the States Assembly and a retired journalist I still write a weekly column in the JEP I am deeply concerned about the future of agriculture in Jersey and would like to know about the importance of regeneration of our soil which I am told is not healthy due to years of exposure to chemicals to aid the Jersey Royal industry and the problem of compaction of the soil due to the use of heavy equipment on the fields over the years . i would like to talk to you about how farmers can be persuaded to move away from reliance on chemicals and do more to use natural elements to return the soil back to its natural level to produce even higher quality products free of any chemical advancement. Could you le me know when it is convenient to come and talk toy ou. many thank.s Ted Vibert
Ted,
Very nice to hear from you.
Regenerative farming is a very topical theme at the moment, and ‘Regen’ is strongly supported by RURAL magazine.
‘Regen Gathering 2025’ takes place at La Tacheron Farm on 5 and 6 September.
Here is an overview:
‘”Regen” refers to Regen Gathering, an annual regenerative food and farming festival in Jersey. It’s a two-day event focused on innovative approaches to food, farming, and finance, with a strong emphasis on community, health, and the environment. The event aims to foster a vibrant rural community and promote Jersey as a farming industry.’
Entry is free, but book via Eventbrite.
See http://www.regengathering.com
RURAL magazine will be available at the exhibition and I will be there most of time.
We are currently on deadline for producing the Autumn edition, which will have a special ‘regenerative’ theme.
As a former journalist you will know how important it is to meet deadlines, so excuse me not taking up your invitation to meet at the moment. But let us meet soon – I am looking forward to it.
Alasdair
Could you please explain more about the mapping, protecting, and funding of hedgerows through the new support scheme under the Rural Economic Framework?
How can landowners apply for this funding and protection?
If you are a bona fide agriculturist or a smallholder who qualifies for the RSS under one of the three tiers (https://www.gov.je/Industry/FarmingFishing/RuralMarineEconomy/pages/ruralsupportscheme.aspx), then you will automatically be rewarded for hedgerows based on the land area submit. The standard calculation is that one vergee of managed land is equivalent to approximately 76 metres of hedgerow. The system will therefore reward you based on the amount of hedgerow calculated. You will find the details in the RSS guidelines on page 9.
I’m understanding that as a standard support payment towards general maintenance – 12.5 pence per metre of hedgerow in 2025. Is there any funding for establishing new hedgerows or hedgerow restoration?
Where does the mapping and protecting come in?
It also seems there is no requirement for the bona fide agriculturist or smallholder to submit evidence of ownership or management, so neighbouring growers may be claiming financial support for hedgerows they don’t even manage?!