Renewable energy in agriculture consultant Dr Jonathan Scurlock explores how Miscanthus could offer farmers a practical, long-term alternative as government support for environmental land management fails UK farmers. Demand is expected to rise for sustainable British biomass feedstocks aimed at… Read More »Looking beyond the SFI: The case for Miscanthus
Our MD, Florian Ilias, makes the case for planting perennial energy crops to achieve environmental goals and be a reliable source of income for farmers. He asks the question: If we’re dedicating fields to energy anyway, shouldn’t those crops support… Read More »UK arable land: rethinking the food vs food debate
IBERS scientists have significantly advanced the UK’s capacity to deliver sustainable biomass through their pioneering work in the Miscanspeed project, funded by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). The project has fast-tracked the breeding process by implementing… Read More »Accelerating the Future of Biomass: IBERS Scientists Fast-Track Miscanthus Breeding with Genomic Innovation
The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), once positioned as a cornerstone of England’s post-BPS agricultural policy, has failed to deliver meaningful support for many UK farmers. Intended to reward environmental stewardship while providing a stable income stream, the scheme has instead… Read More »Miscanthus seen as stable option for UK farmers in 2026
When to cut Ideally, when the cane is cut there will be little green left on the plant but in mild winters this may not be the case. The standing crop is unlikely to senesce more beyond the end of… Read More »Harvest ’25 – cut as soon as conditions allow
We are now taking orders for Miscanthus rhizomes for spring 2025 planting. This is a unique opportunity to continue investing in your farm’s future with Miscanthus. Planting Miscanthus on underutilised or flood-prone land ensures long-term, reliable returns and provides a… Read More »Secure your order for spring 2025 Miscanthus
Kate Waddams at Aberystwyth University is head of knowledge exchange for a project looking at speeding up Miscanthus plant breeding with AI to help farmers grow more resilient crops in the future. In this guest blog, she tells us more…… Read More »AI in Miscanthus plant breeding
Due to the delayed harvest this year, some crops may have new shoots emerging in the coming weeks. Miscanthus is incredibly resilient and any new shoots that are damaged while being travelled on will be replaced by new growth. Only a small… Read More »Miscanthus harvest ’24 top tips
Ben Booth at Terravesta manages crop establishment and outlines some key benefits to planting Miscanthus in his latest blog post… The top three considerations to highlight are: Miscanthus can thrive on marginal land and low-quality soils, with no irrigation required,… Read More »The benefits of Miscanthus
Our chairman, William Cracroft-Eley, speaks candidly in a blog post looking at the challenge we face to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero… “Tackling climate change and the effects of climate change is the major global environmental challenge. It calls on… Read More »Reaching net zero: the crucial role of agriculture
