National Activities - UK Crops for Industry and Energy - a report of a study sponsored by the Ernest Cook Trust, UK

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INTRODUCTION AND CONTEXT

This document reports on a study to assess the technical and economic prospects for growing crops to provide fuels and industrial feedstocks in the UK.

The issue most immediately behind this enquiry is the increasing area of 'land surplus to present requirements for food production in the UK, combined with reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy designed to control the surplus production and reduce budgetary costs. As a consequence, policies affecting agriculture and land use have undergone a period of considerable change. The situation has serious implications for farm incomes and farm businesses, and rural employment and rural society. These 'problems' also present opportunities to use resources in new ways.

A second part of the context of this study is the gamut of environmental issues that impinge on nearly every dimension of society and enterprise. These also present farmers and industrialists with both problems and opportunities.

A third element in the context refers to supplies of fossil fuels, the main sources of both energy and industrial raw materials. Long term projections of resource availability emphasise the need to identify and develop alternatives, but unexpected price increases and supply interruptions have, at least in the past, provided a more urgent impetus to seek new and renewable feedstocks

These factors all enhance the scope for growing industrial and energy crops. This is further enhanced by the many technical developments relating both to crop production and industrial and energy technologies.

The study used a combination of a review of literature and consultation to prepare a draft report. This was then subjected to the scrutiny of 16 experts at a workshop in February 1994. The final version incorporates comments made at the workshop, and material obtained subsequently.

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• S Peter CARRUTHERS / The Countryside Agency - Corporate Planning, Research, Data & Information / UNITED KINGDOM