Voluntary guidelines on best practice for crop feedstocks in anaerobic digestion (AD) have been published this week.

The voluntary guidelines on Best Practice for Crop Feedstocks in anaerobic digestion, prepared and supported by ADBA, NFU, CLA, REA and NNFCC, was officially launched on Wednesday following considerable collaborative efforts between AD and farming industries in consultation with government and other key stakeholders.

The choice of crop and the farming practices used can affect soil quality and structure, nutrient retention and leaching, greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity among many other things. The guidelines, which draw on existing regulations and standards, aim to show the wide benefits of crop-based AD to sustainable farming and how good practice can be used to bring positive environmental outcomes and avoid risks, in particular by integrating crops for AD into the whole farm system.

Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Minister, Dan Rogerson MP, commented: “I very much welcome the Code of Practice on the use of crops in AD. The Government wants to see a greater use of waste in AD but where these systems use crops, the code provides a good start in order to highlight best growing practice and takes on board environmental concerns.”

Launching the guidance, ADBA Chief Executive, Charlotte Morton, said: “We are delighted to be able to launch the crop best practice guidance today, which aims both to demonstrate the sustainability of crop-based AD to government and to help farmers, developers and operators decide which crops to grow.

“The guidance is designed to show the positive environmental outcomes which can be achieved by growing crops for AD, and how farmers can achieve these. It advocates practices which can help avoid environmental risks, and draws on existing farming guidance for all of these areas. It is focussed on issues specifically around growing crops, and does not seek to cover good practice for AD design and operation more generally.

“It also demonstrates that growing crops for use in AD, along with manures and slurries, leads to more effective crop rotations by increasing soil organic matter, improving soil structure and reducing soil degradation, ultimately resulting in greater long term farm profitability through higher yields and reduced input costs.”

Dr. Jonathan Scurlock, NFU Chief Adviser on Renewable Energy, added: "The NFU is pleased to see the publication of cross-industry guidance to manage the possible environmental risks of crop feedstocks for AD. Over the past couple of years, we have been involved in the development of this useful document, which sets high standards for this emerging new industry and addresses many of the concerns that have been raised by the government and other stakeholders."

Lead Consultant at the Bioenergy & Anaerobic Digestion, Lucy Hopwood, commented: “It is encouraging to see this document launched today with Government support and we are pleased to have played a part in its creation. Sustainable land use is crucial in all industries, not least the bioeconomy where the impact on food production is often a major concern. This guidance illustrates through best practice how land can be managed sustainably; food, feed and energy produced simultaneously; and emerging markets such as AD can offer opportunities to enhance farming systems, reduce fossil inputs and increase productivity. We hope it provides reassurance to industry, Government, the public and other stakeholders that crops for AD can be sustainable during this period of rapid growth in the AD sector.”

CLA Renewable Energy Adviser, Tom Beeley, said: “The CLA has contributed to the development of this very welcome cross-industry guidance which addresses many of the environmental concerns raised in relation to the use of crop feedstocks in AD and provides useful good practice guidance for crop based AD.”

Dr Nina Skorupska, REA Chief Executive, added: “Anaerobic digestion has a great deal to offer. It helps fight climate change through providing renewable energy, reducing GHG emissions and displacing fossil-derived fertiliser. It also supports jobs in the rural economy, with considerable innovation in recent years coming from British companies. As with most things, there are better and worse ways of doing it and the sustainability of crops in AD has become a controversial issue. It can be hard to know what to do faced with simplistic headlines on one side and complex policies on the other. These guidelines will assist in providing clear and balanced advice – building on existing documents wherever possible.”