Countryside

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Mr President it is great to be here.

1. One of the proudest moments of my life - remembering this pin - it was tremendous to be part of the opening of the Royal Jersey Horticultural and Agricultural Society centre which was opened by the Queen.
   
   
   
2.  Ladies and Gentlemen, I am a farmer’s son.
   
   
   
3. My father’s farm was renowned for cattle and tomato farming.
   
   
   
4. The Countryside is in my blood
   
   
   
5. I care for its past, present and future. I go further...
   
   
   
6. I believe agriculture matters to all islanders – it frames everything we all love about Jersey.
   
    
7. Small fields, hawthorn hedgerows, Jersey cows – in Tourism it is the vista on every postcard.
   
    
8. Jersey without a viable healthy farming sector is an island that has lost its heart and soul.
   
    
9. The industry needs our support and encouragement.
   
    
10. I hosted a lunch for St Michael Bishop – the Chairman of BMI and we spoke about how you can’t turn the clock back in any industry.
    
     
11. It is no different in Agriculture - progress has been made – lessons have been learnt and the support now given – whilst perhaps, of course, never enough is totally defensive.
    
     
12. I think the future Council needs to give one Minister overall responsibility for Agriculture.
    
     
13. I was delighted with the success of the ’Meet the Buyer’ events, I am confident we will deliver more local produce on supermarket shelves.
    
     
14. I am delighted we are going to enter The Chelsea Flower Show.
    
     
15. I understand the hesitation of the bull semen issue – the single thing that will protect the Island against milk importation – is an efficient industry.
    
      
16. Historic Buildings do need strong protection and the best way to achieve that is to be tough - but to allow buildings to breath into new uses.
    
    
17. I’m the States member who has spent most of his time on supply and demand analysis. I think I can say with some authority – we don’t need any more green fields re-zoning.
    
    
18. The homes we need can – and if I’ve got anything to do with it – will be delivered on brown field sites in town.
    
     
19. But we need to extend Planning obligations and shared equity to commercial schemes.
    
     
20. Our countryside can and will be safe.
    
     
21. Ladies and Gentlemen we are seeing turmoil around the world. The traditional Jersey farmer is known to be tough.
    
     
22. He is a survivor.
    
     
23. His character, his enterprise, his foresight, has not got him or her where we are today by accident.
    
     
24. You are not going to hear sound bites from me -
    
     
25. I don’t make promises I can’t deliver and I care about the Horticultural and Agricultural countryside. And I am determined to help.