Biofuels Can Play A Part In Strengthening UK Economy

10 May 2013 THE NFU believes the motivation behind encouraging arable farmers to produce should not confuse two issues of producing maize for anaerobic digestion (AD) and wheat or oilseed rape to be used in biofuel production (FG, May 3). On-farm decisions are driven by access to markets. Removing the ability of farmers to add value to basic commodities through biofuel production or AD would not simply result in the same level of production of wheat for animal feed. Instead, the likelihood is farmers will reduce production as it becomes economically unsustainable. Biofuels and other forms of bioenergy production have the ability to reduce the UK’s reliance on both imported fuel and animal feed. The agricultural community can play a part in limiting the exposure of the UK economy to the vagaries of world energy and protein prices. Dr Jonathan Scurlock, NFU chief adviser on renewable energy and climate change. Taylor Scott International