All support is vital

Farmers have been rallying this week to support on-farm anaerobic digestion with a visit to Parliament, in order to remind the British government that AD is becoming a vital tool to keep British farmers on the land and producing.

To date, there has been a doubling of AD on-farm plants to 172 over the past two years, and the number is growing, but clarity on the issue from the government would aid this growth with regard to feed-in tariffs and the like. I think some support for a method that is sustainable and helping to provide alternative energy sources, as well as reducing waste, is key. Farmers, we must remember, are a domestic industry we can’t do without.

It also dovetails nicely with the government’s recent advertising push for exporting overseas, which features the tagline, “Exporting is GREAT.” You may have seen the ads with people encouraging others to export their products to other countries. Dairy is one of those sectors that has shown it punches well above its weight when it comes to export. Go to a supermarket in South Korea and purchase Lye Cross cheese, or pick up a nice Stilton at any supermarket in New York.

People recognise the British brand as one of quality and will pay well for it. Thus, any item such as AD, which keeps these producers profitable and operating as going concerns, will be aiding the government drive for export as well. And the government should recognise that. The benefits will go far beyond just commerce.