Cover Crop Competition

Jersey Royal Company, part of the Albert Bartlett family, is proud to announce the continuation of the Cover Crop Competition. This competition celebrates Jersey’s farming community and their commitment to biodiversity, soil health, and sustainable agriculture.

About the Competition

The Cover Crop Competition invites Jersey growers to showcase their expertise by cultivating the best cover crops across four key categories:

  • Best Bird Cover Crop

  • Best Visual Cover Crop

  • Best Pollinator Cover Crop

  • Best Soil Health Cover Crop

Growers will benefit from expert guidance provided by our sponsors, agronomists, and environmental specialists. Judging will take place in August and October, with the winners announced at the Jersey Farmers Conference in November.

Categories & 2025 Winners 

The competition set a high standard, with outstanding entries demonstrating innovation and dedication to sustainable farming. The 2025 winners were:

  • Best Pollinator Mix Field – Meleches Farms (Nick Mourant)

  • Best Bird Mix Field – Fosse au Bois (Paul, Peter & Matt Carre)

  • Best Soil Health Mix Field – Jersey Royal Company Blue Team (Adrian Baudains and Joe Martins)

  • Best Visual – Master Farms (Peter, Phil and & Phil Jnr Le Maistre)

  • Overall Winner 2025 – Meleches Farms (Nick Mourant)

These achievements highlighted the creativity and commitment of Jersey’s farmers, resulting in measurable benefits for local wildlife and the environment.

Our Sponsors and Supporters

We are grateful for the continued support of our sponsors, whose expertise and resources make this competition possible:

  • Jersey Birds on the Edge

  • Normans Seed Suppliers

  • Enhancement Land Resource Management (States of Jersey)

  • Jersey Bees Association

  • Pollinator Project

  • Jersey Biodiversity Centre

  • Jersey Dairy

Promoting Biodiversity & Sustainable outcomes

Impact report from 2025’s project

  • Cover crops produced six times as many pollinators per count compared to grass control fields.

  • All three mixes—Bird, Pollinator and Soil—showed equally positive effects on pollinator populations and diversity.

  • Biodiversity and abundance both rose sharply wherever flowering crops were established, proving the collective ecological value of the approach.

  • Floral diversity is essential: whether a mix is designed to benefit birds, pollinators or soil, the presence of flowering plants contributes to overall ecosystem health.

  • Native cover crops of any type deliver tangible benefits to Jersey’s local biodiversity.

Timeline

  • Competition Launch: June

  • Early Judging: August

  • Late Judging: October

  • Winners Announced: Jersey Farmers Conference, November

Get Involved

Albert Bartlett encourages all Jersey growers to participate and help set new standards for sustainable farming. Follow us on LinkedIn for updates, guidance, and inspiration throughout the season.

Together, we can continue to enhance Jersey’s countryside, support local wildlife, and build a more resilient agricultural future.