New miscanthus growers in Norfolk and surrounding counties can not only supply a local market – Snetterton power station, in an industry first – they have the opportunity to benefit from a finance package to cover virtually all upfront costs for crop establishment, with 10- to 15-year index-linked annual returns.
Based at Attleborough, Norfolk, Andrew Thornton first planted 23ha of Terravesta Athena miscanthus in 2019 to help to make his farm more financially and environmentally sustainable.
“It has a high initial outlay, but the cost of growing miscanthus is a lot less than other crops,” he said. “It’s also a long-term investment that’s low risk and requires minimal inputs after establishment. Amd it’s also much more resilient to weather than traditional crops.
“Planting and establishment was straightforward, the crop is looking fantastic. It will give us a long term guaranteed income and will capture carbon.
“It’s our hope that in future there may be more opportunities in carbon trading,” Mr Thornton added. “In farming, we’re aiming for Net Zero, but we may also be offsetting emissions from other sectors that want to improve their green image.
“The decision to plant Miscanthus is about future-proofing the farm business, and it’s a crop that’s profitable regardless of subsidy.
“Food should be grown in areas of the country that have the potential to produce efficiently in comparison to growing on marginal land like my own, and areas of conservation should complement this.”
