Funded as part of the Government’s Biomass Feedstocks Innovation (BFI) Programme launched earlier this year, NIAB aims to provide growers with independent information and advice on varieties, agronomic practices and equipment suitable for cultivating a range of biomass crops on marginal land.
The collaborative R&D grants, made available by Growing Kent & Medway, will be awarded to proposals that demonstrate the potential to positively impact the local economy. Successful applicants will also be asked to commit to delivering community engagement in the Kent and Medway region.
Local businesses operating in the sector are encouraged to attend an online briefing event on 14 September 2014 to maximise their chances of accessing the £2million available.
However, NIAB has expressed concern that the proposed creation of a new ACRE-2 organisation, led and staffed by permanently employed risk assessors and regulators, as the central organising node for the regulation of new products of genetic technologies, and the suggestion that this new regulatory pathway should be used as a trial for the regulation of simple gene edited products, could create unnecessary layers of additional regulation, and could deter investment in UK-based plant breeding innovation.
The Eastern AgriTech Innovation Hub, a specialist Soham-based crop and food waste research centre, has completed a £1.25 million upgrade of its facilities, including investment in growing facilities, green technology and power production.
MallingTM Ace and MallingTM Vitality, expected to reinforce the UK’s reputation for soft fruit production, are the result of the strawberry breeding team, led by NIAB EMR’s Adam Whitehouse, and support of the East Malling Strawberry Breeding Club.
The name Malling is synonymous varieties that have set new industry standards, from globally successful apple rootstocks and raspberry varieties, through to the strawberry Malling Centenary, launched in 2013, which has since become the industry standard June-bearer strawberry now selling more than 70 million plants a year.
Mario Caccamo, Managing Director of NIAB EMR, said: “Malling Fruits connects us to the strength of our 100-year heritage while at the same time links industry to the quality on offer of current and future leading varieties.”
Responding to last week’s National Food Strategy, leading players along the length of the UK’s crop improvement pipeline, from fundamental and applied genetic science to commercial plant breeding, have issued a joint call on the Government to take action on two fronts – regulation and R&D – to harness the unique contribution of plant genetics in securing a more sustainable food future.
Growing Kent & Medway has announced £3million in R&D grants for projects that support inclusive economic growth and environmentally sustainable practices and innovations.
Funding grants of up to £250,000 will be made available to assist projects that aim to develop green technologies, processes or products for horticultural food and drink businesses across Kent and Medway.
A computer scientist by training, Professor Caccamo is currently NIAB’s Deputy Director and Managing Director of NIAB EMR. He has over 20 years’ experience in life science research and big data, including specific projects to apply the latest DNA sequencing technologies and bioinformatics methods to advance scientific understanding of crop genetics and the interaction of agricultural crops with their environment.
