NFU President speaks in Europe on biofuels challen
The production of biofuels is not just a choice between food and fuel, NFU President Peter Kendall has told delegates at a European Parliament seminar.
Mr Kendall told the Brussels seminar that the establishment of bio-refineries will allow arable production to be converted into biofuel, high protein animal feed and other co-products to make sure that agriculture delivers a multitude of products while impacting less on the environment.
The speech comes at a crucial time when biofuels will have to increasingly prove their sustainability and greenhouse gas credentials – particularly to meet EU policy targets in 2020.
Mr Kendall said: "This will be the first policy to set standards as a condition of market access but the production of sustainable biofuels does not represent just a choice between food and fuel.
"This is about efficient use of land with initially two commodity products from a single land area – sustainable biofuel and high protein feed. These important co-products and the roles they play in our food markets are frequently missing from the sometimes simplistic debate about sustainable biofuels.
"With the European Union experiencing a large trade deficit in proteins, biofuel co-products such as dried distillers grains, beet pulp and oilseed meals offer an important source of domestic protein, which helps to reduce our reliance on imported crops.
"Sustainable biofuels also provide a new market for cereals and oilseeds which helps to keep well invested and highly skilled arable production capacity in the EU. This in turn ensures agriculture can respond effectively and efficiently to future increased demand in both food and non-food markets. Sustainable biofuels therefore provide the ideal opportunity to produce bioenergy while maintaining productive arable land.
"In addition to the substantial potential for carbon savings and providing a domestic feed protein source, other advantages of having a home grown energy source include adding diversity to fuel supplies, increasing energy security, economic competitiveness and the creation of green jobs."