Biomass Connect Webinar No.1

Land preparation – starting off on the right foot

Ensuring that your land is prepared to a high standard is absolutely critical if you are to ensure long term success of your biomass crop. When you plant you are making a 20-year decision. It is important to avoid haste, and to ensure proper implementation. This could otherwise lead to poor establishment, gappy plots, lost yield and reduced income. This webinar will provide the necessary ‘need-to-know’ information on what to do when to ensure success during the establishment phase.

Speakers:

Mike Cooper

Mike Cooper – Miscanthus Nursery Ltd

Originating from a farming family, Mike spent 32 out of his 50 years of continued employment with one Agricultural merchanting company as a highly committed manager with a good understanding of commercial Agricultural and the ability to build strong relationships in the industry.

Growing perennial energy crops in support of annual food crops has interested Mike since 1984 when one of the first Miscanthus and SRC trial plots was planted in Devon and run by Jon Harvey head agronomist with the Ministry of Agriculture at Starcross Devon.

Since 2009 Mike has been running Miscanthus Nursery Ltd (MNL), growing some c2000 acres of Miscanthus and consulting on a further c3000 acres. MNL is a Grower Cooperative owned & operated by a group of Farmers who understand the importance of this crop in supporting environmental Agriculture and climate change.

Neil Watkins

Neil Watkins – Energy Crops Consultancy Limited (ECCL)

Neil Watkins is Managing Director of Energy Crops Consultancy Limited (ECCL) and an Independent Adviser on energy crops. In ECCL Neil has formed a company which can carry out all aspects of biomass production from site and variety selection, through planting, growing and harvesting carried out by an in house team and equipment  as well as marketing of final product.  He has over 15 years’ experience in establishing, promoting, and developing markets for energy crops working with hundreds of landowners and growers.  He is a proven innovator and has actively participated in varied research projects covering all aspects of the biomass energy sector. Neil has been a member of several working groups influencing and advising government policy, and his knowledge and experience, particularly in Short Rotation Coppice production is recognised both nationally and internationally.