The future of Jersey’s agriculture is rooted in regenerative practices, a vision that is becoming more tangible as a movement fueled by a growing number of people who prioritise community, health, food production, and the environment. By Taylor Smythe, Project Lead – Farm Jersey’s local food and farming programme at Jersey Business
Recently I attended a farming conference in Devon, called Rootstock, where scientists and farmers shared their stories of regeneration and resilience. What struck me most was the feeling of optimism, collaboration, and humanity that filled the space.
Anyone who has attended the Jersey Farming Conference or Regen Gathering knows the sense of inspiration that arises when farmers and scientists alike share their journeys so openly – highlighting both their successes and their challenges. It is a community of people, all committed to regenerating land, improving practices, and rebuilding trust in our food systems. This is the spirit that Jersey’s rural economy is beginning to embrace, and it is a vision rooted in regenerative agriculture.
Regenerative agriculture is gaining significant global traction, and for good reason. It encompasses farming practices designed to restore soil health, enhance biodiversity, and improve water retention, all while reducing carbon emissions. The promise of regenerative farming isn’t merely environmental; it is deeply connected to social and economic regeneration. At its core, it is about renewing the relationships between livestock and landscapes, plants and soil microbes, and within the entire supply chain between producers and consumers.
As Jersey looks to the future, adopting regenerative practices is vital for natural resource management, food sovereignty, and Island prosperity.
Contrary to popular belief, the biggest barrier to regenerative agriculture is not farmers’ interest or commitment. In fact, many of Jersey’s farmers are already on the journey toward resilient, profitable, and regenerative farming with LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) certification.
The real obstacles lie in the economic structures, specifically the lack of a functioning free market that creates channels for food that maintain sovereignty and reward good stewardship. One of the most important characteristics of a healthy economy is the existence of markets that allow producers to thrive. The failure of markets to reward good stewardship is one of the most significant flaws in modern agriculture.
For Jersey, this flaw is evident. Farmers, who are the custodians of our land and the producers of our food, are still working within a commodity-driven system, where they do not control the prices of their products. In such a system, the focus shifts to maximising yield and efficiency, often at the cost of environmental sustainability and nutrient density. It’s a system that rewards soil-depleting practices and leaves little room for regenerative techniques to thrive. An economy based solely on quantity over quality is ultimately unsustainable. We must shift the focus back to excellence in farming practices, where the value of a product is not solely determined by volume but also by its environmental impact and contribution to community health and resilience.
However, the retail sector has been slow to support regenerative farming initiatives.
Although there is much conversation around sustainability and local food systems, actual support for regenerative farmers is still lacking. Retailers talk about sustainable sourcing, but the systems in place fail to create real market pull for regenerative products.
A positive example comes from Waitrose, which, in partnership with LEAF, is setting up eight satellite farms in the UK as part of a three-year programme aimed at supporting more than 2,000 farmers to transition to regenerative practices and accelerate nature-friendly farming. A good middle actor or food retailer amplifies the best a farm has to offer by effectively communicating their story, environmental and ecological practices, and community impact. They create a bridge that highlights the value of sustainable and regenerative practices, helping consumers connect with the farm’s values and products. This needs to change, and it needs to change now.
As Sue Pritchard of The Food, Farming & Countryside Commission rightly put it: ‘We need to tell people how it is and how it could be.’
Our conversations suggest that citizens are ready to support a more sustainable food system, but we need better storytelling to tap into that desire for change. The prevailing assumptions that people are lazy, only interested in supermarket convenience, or that local food is too expensive must be challenged. People need to understand that they have agency in shaping the future of food in Jersey. When they realise that, they can make a difference. The ripple effect is powerful, and that sense of empowerment is contagious.
Jersey is uniquely positioned to embrace regenerative agriculture and to make the possibility of food sovereignty a reality. Through the Economic Framework for the Rural Environment policy, Jersey’s agricultural landscape is evolving, making regenerative farming more accessible and viable, and simultaneously driving down the cost of local food, making it competitive and even cheaper than imports in the peak growing season.
With its innovative credit scheme and growing momentum, Jersey is arguably the best place in the world to establish a rural business right now. Over the past three years, 80 new rural businesses have emerged, with that number expected to double within the next two years. By encouraging a diverse range of rural business models, we increase our resilience, creating multiple avenues to resist failure and strengthening the Island’s food system.
The key to this transformation lies in rebuilding trust within the community and fostering relationships based on shared values of sustainability, resilience, and local pride.
A regenerative food system in Jersey promises a future that is decentralised, democratic, and rooted in community. In this vision, trust, relationships and cooperation are the true currency. People are no longer passive consumers; they are active participants in shaping the future of their food systems. This new approach doesn’t just feed the island’s population; it nourishes its soul, creating a more resilient and connected community in the process.
Regenerative agriculture is not just a way of farming – it is a way of living, a way of ensuring that Jersey’s rural economy thrives for generations to come.
