The National Non-Food Crop Centre’s Grasping the Green Agenda conferences, in conjunction with Crops, are a must for growers wanting to make the most of the huge opportunities offered by alternative crops. Lucy Hodsman, the NNFCC’s agriculture and events manager, explains why.

Details of who’s speaking and how to register are shown below.

Renewable fuels and materials derived from crops offer a tremendous opportunity to develop more sustainable resources. For such technologies to succeed we must integrate the full supply chain; from growers through research and manufacture right up to the consumer.

Opportunities for British farmers to be involved in the various supply chains are vast; particularly in the well documented biofuel and bioenergy sectors, and also in new and emerging sectors such as renewable building materials, renewable polymers, and high-value pharmaceuticals or cosmetics.

There are options to suit every grower in the UK, depending on the level of commitment and capital they are willing to invest. Farmers can grow a crop to contract, often attracting premiums for extract content or quality, or become involved in the supply chain by processing or manufacturing on-farm for a higher-value return. 

There has never been a better time to ‘Grasp the Green Agenda’ and with this in mind the NNFCC, in association with Crops, is hosting two conferences this November.

Have you considered generating your own heat, power or transport fuel on-farm from crops or waste materials? Would you like to be involved in growing new higher-value crops for speciality markets? Or are you keen to learn more about the alternative markets for your existing crops and their prospects for the future?

These events will provide an update on current and future activity in the non-food crops sector in the UK, highlight the range of options for UK growers, and present real working examples of farmers who have taken the decision to become involved.

If you are a British grower looking for new opportunities then you should register to attend one of these events. The events will provide an opportunity to network with key players, technology providers and contractors in the various sectors, discuss the practicalities with other growers already involved, and gather information that will be invaluable to you in the future.

Click here to find out more about some of the topics being discussed at this year’s conferences. For more information visit the NNFCC website.