Renewable materials survey

THE National Farmers' Union is surveying 2,000 members to assess the potential for the agricultural industry to produce renewable building materials. It will identify the quantity and quality of renewable materials being produced and the barriers deterring farmers from growing non-food crops. It will also ask what level of return is needed to make the production renewable building materials an

attractive financial proposition?

Oil, protein and alternative crop uses chairman Rad Thomas said: "We are keen to explore and encourage non-food uses of crops. To do this the industry needs to identify factors that are holding up its development. We also need to identify what level of interest exists in the farming community in producing products that aren't the traditional and predictable."