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THE YEAR OF THE JERSEY: 2001 _______________
Lodged au Greffe on 28th September 1999 by the Agriculture and Fisheries Committee
______________________________
STATES OF JERSEY
STATES GREFFE
175 1 9 9 9 P . 1 4 1
Price code: A
PROPOSITION
THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion -
to acknowledge the significant history of the Jersey breed of dairy cattle and the important position it has in today's
worldwide dairy industry and that the year 2001 be designated The Year of the Jersey.
AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES COMMITTEE
Report
The reputation of the Island of Jersey has been enhanced over the past two centuries by the export of the Jersey breed from this Island to all parts of the world. This has been accomplished by the knowledge, expertise of breeding dairy cattle, and the foresight of Jerseymen since the early eighteenth century.
In this Island, the Jersey cow has played an important role in not only providing milk and dairy products for the population, but also as a reliable source of income for farmers. Dairy farming has contributed to the fabric of the countryside and to the design of many traditional farm buildings, which were based on the needs of the cow and the provision of winter fodder.
The versatility of the Jersey cow is acknowledged in all parts of the world. The Jersey can be found in the mountainous regions of Central and South America, the tropical zones of Africa and the sub-continent, as well as the temperate areas of Europe, Australasia and North America. The ability of the Jersey to produce high quality milk, and to thrive under a wide range of conditions are valuable traits, as is its eminence in cross-breeding to improve native cattle in developing countries.
Every Jersey cow in the world can trace its ancestry back to this Island. The export of live animals, and in more recent times, semen, from Jersey has formed the nucleus of herds worldwide. Today, the Jersey cow is numerically the second largest dairy breed in the world.
Following the Second World War, the interest in the breed was such that the World Jersey Cattle Bureau was set up in 1951 by ten countries to foster communications and promote the breed internationally. Today, the World Jersey Cattle Bureau has twenty-seven member countries and individual members in over forty countries.
The World Jersey Cattle Bureau's first permanent headquarters was established at the Howard Davis Farm in 1992. Appropriately, the Bureau's President is Mrs. Anne Perchard, a notable breeder of Jersey dairy cattle and an exceptional ambassador for the breed and the Island.
In 2001 the World Jersey Cattle Bureau will mark its 50th anniversary with celebrations in the Island which will attract Jersey breeders and dairymen from across the globe. Jersey enthusiasts will be able to visit the home of the Jersey and see Island herds in their own setting. They will also be able to visit the prestigious headquarters of the Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society adjacent to the Howard Davis Farm.
To mark this great occasion it is proposed to facilitate a series of events, the centrepiece of which will be to erect an important bronze sculpture in St. Helier that will celebrate the success of the Jersey breed and act as a permanent tribute to this unique dairy animal, which has advanced the name of the Island of Jersey in such a praiseworthy manner for generations.
The noted English sculptor, John McKenna, has been commissioned to produce a maquette of the sculpture featuring the Jersey breed, and a fund-raising campaign will begin on October 22nd 1999. The year 2001 will also feature a wide-ranging educational programme. The Bailiff , Sir Philip Bailhache , has accepted an invitation to be patron to the appeal.
Such is the significance of the year 2001, the Agriculture and Fisheries Committee believes that the whole Island would wish to mark the event by designating the year 2001 as "The Year of the Jersey".