ONE of Jersey’s oldest established family dairy farms is ceasing production of all dairy and meat products.
Blanc Pignon at La Haule is set to close down, with its herd to be dispersed over time.
The decision to do so has been taken after much painful deliberation, according to the two farming company directors Alice Le Cras and her sister Caroline Leng.
Decisions will be taken, with the help and advice of the Royal Jersey Agricultural & Horticultural Society, about which animals will become part of other herds in the Island or in the UK.
“We will manage everything to the best of our ability to give the cows the best possible chance,” said Ms Le Cras.
“At one time, Blanc Pignon Farm was one of the biggest herds in Jersey, now it is one of the smallest. We have only 51 milkers, plus youngstock.
“We have remained small and become really a boutique operation, and we have had a real go at diversification.
“We love our farm, but I think what is really important to remember about dairy farming is that you need to have big, very up-to-date, facilities, and need frequently to invest and re-invest.
“The industry is constantly evolving, and that is really exciting. We have become too small, and as the industry continues to change. It is no longer suitable for us to continue dairying.”
The lack of space at the St Peter farm was a further consideration, as it inhibited any major expansion of the herd.
“As the Island and our own home area becomes increasingly developed, we are farming in an increasingly small patch – almost a townscape,” explained Ms Le Cras. “It is virtually impossible to be financially relevant in this situation.”
The present milking parlour and other facilities on the farm were built in 1967, and although there have been some improvements and innovations since then, the overall facilities have remained much the same.
Ms Le Cras acknowledged that new agriculture funding was being made available by government, but said: “That is exciting, but to take advantage of that, there has to be innovation, and evolution, and scaling up so as to go forwards. Where we are at, we are not in a position to do that.
“You really need to reinvest every 15 years or so, but in order to justify that investment, you really need to be making returns that merit it.”
Blanc Pignon Farm employs three workers on the dairying side, and a further three to produce its dairy products that are found in retail outlets throughout the Island.
The production of these products will now cease.
Although there will be six redundancies, the staff have been informed of the situation, and told that nothing will happen immediately; the cows have still to be milked and cared for up until the time that dispersal takes place.
The present beef animals will continue to be kept until their finishing term is complete.
“We are really proud of the products we’ve provided for Island consumers,” said Ms Le Cras.
“But a business has to be viable. It’s hard in a boutique situation to make enough profit for its continuation to make sense. It may indeed make sense for lots of reasons, but it has also to be financially sustainable.”
She added that Blanc Pignon had endeavoured to make all customers aware of the farm’s closure and the cessation of production.
“Unfortunately, we are not in a position where having really great products is enough to sustain a business,” Ms Le Cras explained.
“There are a lot of costs in the products that we make, and you can’t just keep on making your products more expensive, you can’t completely outprice yourself. You’ve got to be competitive, and there is a lot of competition which can make products on a much larger scale and which therefore makes production more cost efficient.
“We can’t expand the farm, and so we can’t make it work. We’re just too small. There have been a lot of tears and although we are deeply upset, we have made this measured and difficult decision in the light of present circumstances.”
At one time, cattle from Blanc Pignon were exported all over the world. The mother of the two sisters, Vera Le Cras, was well-known for her passion for her herd and for dairy farming in Jersey.
Ms Le Cras confirmed that the herd’s dispersal doesn’t mean that there won’t be any cattle in the Blanc Pignon fields.
“It’s hard to imagine Blanc Pignon without cows,” she said.
“We still have plenty of grass, and categorically, we are not going to sell the land for building development. We might wind down the herd slowly, and other people’s cows might use it.
“One way or another we absolutely intend for as long as possible to see brown cows in green fields at Blanc Pignon.”
The two farm directors expressed thanks to all who had helped and supported the farm over the past 85 years, and especially to the present dairy industry.
“They have fought very hard for the industry to survive, and although we are shutting, we will still be very involved in the industry,” said Ms Le Cras.
“Jersey without its cows would not be Jersey. It would be a very sad place.”
