Integrating biomass crops into current farm practices

Yit Arn Teh (Newcastle University) discusses integrating biomass crops into current farm practices at the Biomass Connect Newcastle Demonstration Event.Theme 1: Integrating biomass crops into current farm practices Quick wins, easy opportunities and low-hanging fruitThe ease of integration may depend on how similar or different the specific crop or practice is to current management. For example, grassy biomass crops are likely to be more easily integrated into current farming practices given that their biology/physiology is more like that of arable crops and the equipment needed to manage them is also similar; this means that farmers will require less investment of time or money to incorporate these grassy crops into their farming practice. Integration of woody biomass crops could be more challenging if the planting schemes are very different from current practices; for example, it may be more difficult to convince farmers to use woody biomass crops in a silvoarable agroforestry planting scheme (unfamiliar/new use) compared to using these plants for hedgerows and shelterbelts (familiar/”conventional” use).Use of biomass crops for marginal fields may be an easy sell, provided that the benefits or income that farmers receive from biomass crops outweigh any costs.Some farmers are currently using grassy biomass crops (e.g. Miscanthus, reed canary grass) for bird shelter for game birds. Many farmers are familiar with the need for riparian zone management and the use of woody plants to manage water quality and reduce soil erosion around riverbanks; the use of biomass crops for this purpose would fit within existing paradigms and management frameworks.Given the high price of straw and problems around weed management, biomass crops may represent a good alternative for producing animal bedding.