Small-scale agriculture

Guernsey is a striking example of small-scale agriculture

On the island you will find about 1400 cows. The milk for the Guernsey butter is supplied by fifteen farmers who each has 93 cows on average.
All Guernsey farmers follow the Guernsey Countryside Management Scheme which includes:

• Having an individually agreed Biodiversity (Wildlife) Action Plan on their farms to help wildlife.
• Fertilisers and pesticides must not be used on and around earth banks
• In fields that are permanent pasture and managed for wildlife. Fertilisers and pesticides must not be used, providing a safe environment for wild flowers and animals.

This management allows wild flowers and herbs to be very abundant and grow undisturbed which makes it possible for the Guernsey cow to walk around like a grazing pharmacist. There are more than ten kinds of grasses and more than twenty kinds of wild flowers and herbs to be found from which the cow can choose.

Because of the rich soil and diverse vegetation the Guernsey farmer needs to add less minerals than the Dutch farmer.