Peter Le Maistre

President, Jersey Farmers’ Union

Peter Le Maistre was born on the family farm in 1954. He was educated at Landsdowne Private School and then Victoria College.  Further education took place at Queen Elizabeth College in London studying Maths and Management. After completing the first year he realised that his passion for farming would always come before any career in other industries. He joined the family farm in September 1974 when its main production was outdoor tomatoes. The eldest of four boys, he was joined by his brothers over the next ten years.

At one time all the brothers had separate businesses but realised that consolidation to produce efficiencies was the way forward and so Master Farms was created. Today the company is owned by Peter and his brother Philip with extra management provided by their sons, Matthew and Philip jnr.

The farm is still a mixed farm with 200 milking cattle being rotated on land that grows potatoes, courgettes and cauliflowers. The holding also farms the Island’s largest area of organic land growing a wide range of vegetables for the local and export market. Master Farms prides itself on connecting with the Jersey public, not only through its social media presence but also its fun family days on the farm such as the pumpkin patch at Halloween.

Peter is a past member of the Jersey Young Farmers’ Club and was chairman of the Jersey Countrymans’ Club. He joined the Jersey Farmers’ Union in 1975 and served on the Outdoor Tomato and Lettuce Committee, and later the Estate and Finance Committee. In 2011 he was elected Treasurer and in 2017 was elected as President.