Last Updated on March 24, 2026 by Sophie Wilesmith
The Government’s new Land Use Framework for England sets out a clearer long-term direction for how land will be used to meet competing demands for food production, climate mitigation, nature recovery and renewable energy.
While the framework strengthens the strategic case for perennial bioenergy crops such as Miscanthus, it also highlights a growing gap between policy ambition and practical delivery mechanisms for farmers and land managers.
At present, Miscanthus is not explicitly referenced in the framework, despite its clear alignment with many of the outcomes the government is seeking to deliver.
Multi-purpose land use at the centre
The framework is built around a shift towards “multi-functional land use”, where land is expected to deliver multiple benefits rather than a single output. It also reinforces the principle that land should be used according to suitability, with higher-grade agricultural land protected and lower-grade land increasingly used for alternative functions such as carbon storage, biodiversity and renewable energy.
For Miscanthus, this direction of travel is positive. As a low-input, long-term perennial crop, it is well suited to marginal land and delivers a combination of carbon sequestration, soil protection and renewable biomass.
However, despite these benefits, the crop still lacks a clear policy framework or targeted incentive structure that recognises its full system value.
What it means for growers
The framework confirms the importance of land use in achieving net zero targets, including through carbon removal and renewable energy generation. In principle, this supports the role of perennial biomass crops within the UK’s climate strategy.
However, there remains a lack of clarity on how these outcomes will be delivered at scale, particularly for crops like Miscanthus that sit outside traditional subsidy structures.
Without clearer signals from the government, there is a risk that the UK will continue to underutilise a domestically grown, low-input carbon crop that is already proven in the field.
At Terravesta, we are actively working to influence policy. Please add your support by signing our petition calling on the UK Government to provide direct support for Miscanthus cultivation.
