Jersey Dairy Farm to Close After Eight Decades of Operation

A long-established Jersey dairy farm is set to close after more than 80 years in operation, citing changing conditions within the industry.

Blanc Pignon Dairy Farm, based at Le Haule, will cease trading following what its owners described as careful and emotional consideration. The family-run business has been overseen by sisters Alice Le Cras and Caroline Leng, who informed their six employees of the decision last week.

Ms Le Cras said the realities of modern dairy farming had made it increasingly difficult for smaller operations to remain viable. The farm currently milks 51 cows, and efforts are under way to rehome the herd with other local farmers.

“It’s a very, very tough industry,” she said. “Our facilities have probably become a little too small to be sustainable. Development around the farm has reduced our available field space, and while our buildings were once among the most modern on the island, they date back to 1967.”

She described dairy farming as one of the most demanding sectors of agriculture, both physically and financially, particularly given the need for continual investment in animal welfare, equipment and technology.

Despite the closure, Ms Le Cras said she believed the wider dairy industry remained in a strong position, pointing to a healthy local market and emerging export opportunities, particularly in Asia.

Blanc Pignon Dairy Farm was founded in 1942 during the German Occupation of Jersey. Ms Le Cras said her grandmother established the farm after acquiring three heifers in order to safeguard land that was at risk of being requisitioned for military use.

Over the decades, the site operated as a mixed farm, producing not only milk but also crops such as potatoes, asparagus and gooseberries. More recently, the family explored diversification, launching several successful products that were well supported by islanders.

“Those ventures worked, but they weren’t enough to sustain a full milking herd,” Ms Le Cras said. “My grandmother, my mother, and now my sister and I have all worked incredibly hard to keep the farm going, but the time has come to step away.”

She thanked the dairy industry, local customers and former staff for their support, saying Blanc Pignon’s legacy would remain an important part of Jersey’s farming history.