Jersey Island Genetics: Grant for Operation of Jersey Herd Management System in 2018

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A decision made 13 March 2018:

Decision Reference: MD-E-2018-0016
Decision Summary Title :	Jersey Herd Management System (JHMS) - Annual Grant in 2018 to Jersey Island Genetics		Date of Decision Summary:	6 March 2018
Decision Summary Author:	Acting Director for Rural Economy & Head of Plant Health		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title :	Jersey Herd Management System (JHMS) - Annual Grant in 2018 to Jersey Island Genetics		Date of Written Report:	6 March 2018
Written Report Author:	Acting Director for Rural Economy & Head of Plant Health		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: Annual grant amounting to £172,000 provided to Jersey Island Genetics (JIG) (a wholly owned subsidiary of the RJA&HS) for the operation of the Jersey Herd Management System (JHMS) in 2018 as per Policy GSA 9 Rural Economy Strategy (RES) 2017-2021 and under the signed SLA spanning 1st January 2017 – 31st December 2019.
Decision(s): The Minister approved an Annual Grant of up to £172,000 to fund the operation of the Jersey Herd Management System (JHMS) as set out in the Service Level Agreement (SLA) 2017 – 2019 between JIG and EDTS&C.
Reason(s) for Decision: The Minister has approved Jersey Island Genetics 2018 Business Plan for the operation of the JHMS and the budget requested to deliver the objectives as set out in the Service Level Agreement (SLA) 2017 – 2019 between JIG and EDTS&C.
Resource Implications: The 2018 Annual Grant of up to £172,000 has been identified from within the Department’s 2018 budget. There are no further financial or manpower implications.
Action required: The Acting Director for Rural Economy & Head of Plant Health is instructed to arrange for the 2018 Annual Grant to JIG subject to the conditions set out in the SLA.
Signature: Senator L J Farnham		Position: Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed)

Jersey Island Genetics: Grant for Operation of Jersey Herd Management System in 2018

Jersey Herd Management System (JHMS)

2018 Business Plan

The Jersey Herd Management System (JHMS) has been developed by the RJA&HS and EDTS&C to ensure that the dairy industry has a professional delivered set of services (Pedigree registration, AI, Milk Recording & disease control and monitoring) which enhance farm efficiency, animal welfare and milk product marketing whilst also delivering State of Jersey’s (SoJ) statutory responsibilities for cattle identification, passport control and cattle disease monitoring and control avoiding duplication in database management.

The dairy services were originally delivered by the Agriculture & Fisheries Department however in 2003 they were transferred to the RJA&HS and have been subject to successive Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with EDD and later EDTS&C. The current SLA was finalised on 30th November 2016 and covers a 3 year period 1st January 2017 – 31st December 2019. This current SLA is between Jersey Island Genetics (JIG) (a wholly owned subsidiary of the RJA&HS) and EDTS&C and includes the following services which constitutes the delivery of the Jersey Herd Management System (JHMS).

Provision by JIG of a comprehensive Artificial Insemination (AI) system to all commercial dairy farms in Jersey which will include:-

Planning and management of an AI system for the dairy industry in Jersey based on individual dairy farmers being able to undertake DIY AI on their own herds or having access to a system of trained AI operatives (provided by other dairy farms or licenced contractors) under the direction of the States Veterinary Officer.
Management of an efficient bovine semen purchase and storage system ensuring a supply of Liquid Nitrogen (LN) is available to all dairy farms requiring the service.
Provision of a system by which bovine semen from locally bred Jersey pedigree bulls can be collected, stored and used by local dairy farmers
Provision of bovine semen from International Jersey pedigree bulls the progeny from which can be entered in the Jersey Herd Book and qualify for States aid payments.
Provision of bovine semen from selected beef bulls which are compatible with the Jersey breed minimising calving difficulties and other animal welfare issues.
Operation of a system by which liquid Nitrogen (LN) is available for the storage of bovine semen in Jersey and can be purchased and used by other essential users in Jersey namely the hospital and medical practices.
Operation of an efficient recording and data collection service to comply with the needs of dairy farmers, DEDTS&C, the JMMB and/or Jersey Dairy, the Jersey Herd Book and the Jersey Cattle Movement Service
The setting of charges for the service which are realistic with the Annual Business Plan and ensure the service can be operated within the awarded annual Grant.

Provision by JIG of a comprehensive Herd Recording (HR) Service to commercial dairy farmers in Jersey which will include:-

HR services being available to all commercial dairy farmers wishing to use the service
Being administered and operated by fully qualified/trained staff safeguarding animal welfare and individual herd’s health status.
The Employment of a contractor with sufficient expertise, knowledge and laboratory facilities to analyse milk samples from Jersey and provide the requisite data in an efficient manner
Provision of a comprehensive set of data that will assist dairy farmers in managing their dairy herds, improving milk quality, improving animal health, selecting and producing suitable replacements and will complement the needs of the Jersey Milk Marketing Board (or its successor body), and/or Jersey Dairy and/or dairy farmers own marketing needs.
Operation of an efficient recording and data collection service to comply with the needs of dairy farmers, DEDTS&C, the JMMB and/or Jersey Dairy, the Jersey Herd Book and the Jersey Cattle Movement Service.
The setting of charges for the service which are compatible with the annual Business Plan and ensure the service can be operated within the Grant awarded

Provision by JIG of other services for SoJ:-

The administration and management, on behalf of the RJA&HS, of the Jersey Cattle Movement Service (JCMS) which SOJ is legally responsible to provide under the European Communities Legislation (Implementation) (Cattle Identification) (Jersey) Regulations 2002 as per the agreement between DEDTS&C and RJA&HS dated 26th October 2004.
The administration and management of the pigs, goats and sheep registration of holdings service under Diseases of Animals (Pigs, Goats and Sheep Registration, Identification and Movement) (Jersey) Order 2007.
Assistance in statutory disease surveillance via milk recording operatives taking individual cow and herd milk samples which would otherwise have to be arranged and undertaken by SoJ.
The provision of cattle and livestock information for SoJ’s annual agricultural census and the recording of cattle numbers on each farm for the calculation of financial support to the industry and for disease control purposes.
The importation and supply of Liquid N to the Island’s hospital and doctor’s surgeries on a cost effective basis, as this Island wide supply is linked to the Liquid N needs of the dairy industries Artificial Insemination Service.
The delivery of a comprehensive farm livestock management system that can be used to promote the Island’s international reputation based on the unique heritage of the Jersey Island breed.

The purpose of the Annual Grant is to contribute towards the costs incurred by JIG in meeting its obligations defined in and agreed by signing the SLA agreement.

The Annual Grant provided to JIG by EDTS&C 2017 - 2019 is as follows:-

2017 - £180,000

2018 - £172,000

2019 - £163,000

Further agreements on delivery of elements or the whole of the current SLA beyond 2019 will be subject to annual operational reviews of the 2017- 2019 SLA, future statutory requirements and budget availability within the responsible of SoJ Department.

Scott Meadows

Acting Director for Rural Economy & Head of Plant Health