Agricultural Returns (Jersey) Law 1947

Official Consolidated Version

This is an official version of consolidated legislation compiled and issued under the authority of the Legislation (Jersey) Law 2021.

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Agricultural Returns (Jersey) Law 1947

Article

1             Interpretation and application. 3

2             Requirement of returns ‎ 3

3             Use of returns. 4

4             Service of notices. 4

5                              4

6             Penalties. 4

7             Citation. 4

Table of Legislation History. 5

Table of Endnote References. 5

Agricultural Returns (Jersey) Law 1947[1]

1        Interpretation and application

(1)     In this Law –

“agricultural land” includes any land used as grazing, meadow or pasture land, or orchard, and any land used wholly or mainly for the purpose of the trade or business of a market-gardener or nurseryman;

“Minister” means the Minister for Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries.[2]

(2)     This Law shall not apply in any case where the total area of the agricultural land occupied by a person is less than one vergée.

2        Requirement of returns[3]‎

(1)     The Minister may, whenever he or she thinks fit so to do, require every occupier of agricultural land, or the person having the management of agricultural land on behalf of the occupier thereof, to furnish, in such form and manner and to such person and within such time as may be specified in the requirement, a return in writing showing, with respect to such date or dates or such period or periods as may be so specified –

(a)     the area of land in cultivation, stating the several areas planted in the crops specified in the return;

(b)     the areas of uncultivated land and of land for grazing;

(c)     the livestock on the land;

(d)     the agricultural equipment in the occupier’s or person’s possession for use on the land; and

(e)     the numbers of persons employed by the occupier or person in regular and casual employment respectively.

(2)     Where the occupier is also the owner of the land, that fact shall be stated in the return.

(3)     The Minister may require any person furnishing a return in pursuance of this Article to give such information and explanations respecting the return as the Minister thinks necessary.

3        Use of returns[4]

No individual return or part of a return made under this Law shall be used, published or disclosed, without the authority of the person making it or of the occupier on whose behalf it is made, except –

(a)     for the purposes of the preparation by the Minister of agricultural statistics and the publication thereof;

(b)     for the purposes of a prosecution under this Law; or

(c)     for the purposes authorized by Article 4(5) of the Agricultural Marketing (Jersey) Law 1953.

4        Service of notices

Any notice under this Law may be served on the person to whom it is addressed either personally or by post and, in the case of a notice to an occupier, by addressing it to the person by the description of “occupier” of the premises (naming them) to which it relates.

5        [5]

6        Penalties

(1)     Any person required to make a return under this Law who fails to make the return within the time within which the person is required to make the return or, on being so required, fails to give any information or explanation respecting the return which it is in the person’s power to give, or who makes a return or gives any information or explanation which is to his or her knowledge untrue in any material particular, shall be liable –

(a)     for a first offence, to a fine of level 1 on the standard scale;

(b)     for a second or subsequent offence, to imprisonment for a term of one month and to a fine of level 2 on the standard scale.[6]

(2)     Any person who uses, publishes or discloses contrary to the provisions of this Law any individual return or part of a return shall be liable to a fine of level 3 on the standard scale and, if the Court is of the opinion that the offence was committed wilfully, to imprisonment for a term of 3 months.[7]

7        Citation

This Law may be cited as the Agricultural Returns (Jersey) Law 1947.

Endnotes

Table of Legislation History

Table of Endnote References