for farmers
Global warming is the greatest challenge ever to face us, and we will need all the renewable energy we can get if we are going to avoid a catastrophe. This is creating a real, long term, market for new crops as a source of energy.
Willow is a fast growing crop that is used to provide fuel for power stations and heating plant all over Europe. Willow will grow on poor land, and offers opportunities for other activities on the same land – from shooting to sewage disposal. There is even work going on investigating the rearing of premium grade chickens and eggs in willow coppice.
Once established, willow is easy to grow, requires little in the way of inputs, lives for 20 years or more and can be harvested every three years.
What’s more, willow can be grown on set aside land without affecting any entitlements to Single Farm Payments, and even attracts an energy crop supplement.