03 May 2011
UK Sugar Beet Industry leads the way to a sustainable future
Global climate change, reducing environmental impacts and increasing the efficiency of food production for a growing population, are all real challenges for the British beet sugar industry. To report on how the industry is addressing these challenges within Europe, today the NFU and British Sugar launched the UK Beet Sugar Industry Sustainability Report 2011.
The report provides an overview of how the British beet sugar industry has faced considerable change during the past five years as a consequence of EU regime reform, but how it continues to invest within research, development and process efficiency, enabling real progress towards the protection of the environment and achieving a sustainable industry for the future.
William Martin, Chairman of NFU Sugar said, “The UK beet sugar industry is proud of the progress reported in this document. Sugar beet yields have been rising faster than those of any other UK arable crop since 1980 and our beet growers continue to demonstrate an appetite to embrace new technologies and techniques so that they can produce more whilst impacting less. However, we recognise there is much more to do. World population is forecast to grow by 2-3 billion in the next 40 years and the level of knowledge around climate change impacts continues to increase”.
The report highlights some substantial achievements already made in the UK. Pesticide and fertiliser use has dropped by between 40% and 70% since 1982 and yields have increased by 60% in that time.
Gino De Jaegher, Managing Director of British Sugar UK said, “In our factories we are also making more from less. Energy consumption per tonne of product has fallen by 25% since 1990 and a diverse range of co-products are generated to maximise efficiency; from tomatoes to animal feed and topsoil to electricity. All these activities make a positive contribution to the Government’s drive for sustainable agriculture and environmental protection.”
Funded jointly by beet growers and British Sugar, the UK also boasts one of the leading sugar beet research programmes in Europe. Over £1.8m is invested annually in research, development and education. The programme develops innovative supply chain solutions based upon independent scientific research and enables the industry to respond efficiently to market and regulatory changes.
Gino De Jaegher said, “The British beet sugar industry has invested many millions of pounds into research, development and process efficiency. It is heartening to see that our investment is enabling real progress toward our objectives of protecting the natural environment, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, cutting waste and much more, whilst increasing productivity and creating value across the industry.”
The UK Beet Sugar Industry Sustainability Report 2011 is available to view at
www.britishsugar.com and
www.nfusugar.com.
Further information:
Paul Bee, British Sugar, Agriculture Communications
01733 422904
07850 369885
paul.bee@britishsugar.com
Lee Abbey, NFU Sugar
02476 858618
lee.abbey@nfu.org.uk