As one of the most prominent farming regions in the country, South Norfolk must be on the front foot of developing these types of strategies to protect farmland and livelihoods in the agriculture sector. For example, South Norfolk is one of the biggest producers of sugar in the UK, with the farmland within 5km of the AD plant having the potential to produce over 600,000 tonnes of sugar beet each year. At present, the agricultural waste from these crops is sent away to other parts of the UK on tractors and in HGVs. By delivering the AD plant in Diss, local farmers within the 5km radius can instead direct their agricultural materials to be processed into critically in demand biogas, whilst also benefitting from natural, high quality digestate to be put back into their farms.
Innovative solutions like the delivery of the Deal Farm AD plant will be key to securing the long-term future of farming.
As Britain seeks to urgently meet Net Zero and tackle the issue of climate change, the delivery of innovative projects such as these will revolutionise and futureproof the farming industry. Without change, the farming industry will struggle to cope with the demands associated with increasing environmental pressures.
