Paul Storr, CoRe co-operative, Wigton

With localised milk payments of 19.5ppl against a national average of 24.7ppl, the appeal of alternative income was plain for the co-operative members. Five members are either ex-dairy or still milking cows while the remaining three run mixed farm businesses, said CoRe’s Paul Storr.

“We will still be farming our land and be paid on what each puts into the AD system.

“For example, a tonne of grass silage at 28 per cent DM will be worth £26.88.”

The unit is based near a CoRe member’s poultry unit where heat can be used in bird accommodation during winter months.

A local construction block manufacturer is also keen to draw off the system to reduce running costs.

Co-operative approach

Mr Storr commended the benefits of a co-operative approach: “It reduces operating costs and financial risks for each individual farmer and should give a more stable income in future. Farm commodities are volatile but I think we can all see which way energy costs are going, and that is up.”

In all, the eight members will provide a total of 15,000t of material for the AD unit from grass, cereals and manures. Each farm is within two miles of the site, reducing transport costs, said Mr Storr.

“We will individually get 80 per cent by tonnage of what we’ve supplied back as digestate to apply to land as a fertiliser. It looks a win-win situation for all of us.

“We get to still farm our land without the volatility of farm commodity prices.

“Our approach has been to see this is an opportunity presented to us and we don’t want to simply let it pass by.”

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