Farming: Industrial crops

Many crops have an industrial or non-food use. This site is a source of information for anyone interested in the opportunities that these crops provide. There are three groups of industrial crops:

	Energy - crops used to generate heat, electricity or produce liquid fuels (including transport biofuels)
	Fibres - crops used to produce fibrous material for use in, for example, car manufacture or insulation
	Non-food - crops with an industrial use other than energy or fibres

For a list of industrial crops and their typical uses see the industrial crops examples page.

See also National Non-Food Crop Centre website and the Biomass Study Task Force pages.

Biofuels: risks and opportunities setting out the key issues in the context of current Government policy on Biofuels

Maps and guidance, identifying the most appropriate areas for growing energy crops and areas where care would need to be taken from an environmental point of view, are now available

Government Response to the 2 year progress report on the strategy for non-food crops uses and the Biomass Strategy

Further information

Crops for Energy Branch and Crops for Industry Branch

Both Branches are jointly responsible for these industrial crops pages. This is a good starting point for information on energy and industrial crops.

Area 4B
Defra
Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London SW1P 4JR
Tel: 020 7238 5317
Fax: 020 7238 6166
Email: industrialcrops@defra.gsi.gov.uk

See the industrial crops contacts page for contact details of other organisations in this sector.

Page last modified: 30 October 2007
Page published: 1 July 2006