FARMERS AND growers are being urged to support the British biofuel industry by sending a specially designed postcard to their local MP.

The postcard from the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) aims to stop the current situation where oilseed rape and cereals are exported for processing and then imported as vehicle fuel.

“It makes a nonsense of the whole aim for cleaner, greener fuels because of the ‘fuel miles’ involved in this unnecessary exporting and importing procedure,” said the CLA’s Nicola Currie.

British farmers can supply enough raw materials and the CLA is urging the government to back the development of local processing plants, she said.

“The entire rural economy could benefit. Adding just 5% bio-ethanol – from sugar beet and cereals – to UK fuel would create 10,000 jobs,” she estimated.

The campaign has also been backed by the Rt Hon Baroness shepherd, who leads the all-party campaign to encourage the use of UK biofuels.

“Let British farmers grow and process all renewable crops. That will give them and all of us a future.”

The cards are pre-printed with the message: “Don’t export our biofuels industry. Support local processing of home grown fuels” and will be available from the CLA stand at this year’s Cereals Event.