James “Cricket” Jacquier farms alongside his wife, parents, brother, nephews, niece and son at Laurelbrook Farm in East Canaan, Connecticut. Together they run a diversified agricultural business that includes a 1,500-head dairy operation, 3,00 acres of corn and alfalfa and a compost and soil business. Cricket’s grandparents started the farm in 1948. The family has gradually grown the business as family members have come back home. Cricket joined the operation right out of high school and he started as a herdsman of a then 500-head herd. Today Cricket oversees the dairy and its 23 employees. “My passion is the cows,” said Cricket. He focuses his work on managing production, components per cow, reproduction efficiency and nutrition. And he is proud that the fourth generation is engaged and involved on the farm.
Cricket is Chairman of the Board for Agri-Mark, Inc., where he has served as a director for more than ten years. He serves on the board for the New England Dairy Promotion Board, Dairy Management Inc. and the National Milk Producers Federation. He is a long-time supporter of FFA and is the chairman of the Ag Advisory Committee for the Housatonic Valley Regional High School. Cricket and his wife Jenn have two children, Morgan and Colby.