Agriculture
VERBIO is a partner of regional agriculture. We obtain nearly 100% of our raw materials for bioethanol and biomethane production from suppliers in the region surrounding our facilities.
VERBIO has nurtured this policy in response to the growing global demand for agricultural raw materials.
Models of cooperation in agriculture
We believe the debate over competition for land between energy crops and food to be exaggerated. Our motto is: "First on the plate, then in the fuel tank!" This is also the reason why we encourage the farmers under contract with us to plant energy crops on suitable grassland areas which cannot be used to grow food. By doing so, we create an attractive alternative cash crop for many farmers alongside their conventional cultivation of grain.
This alternative provides our contract farmers with a stable additional income over many years that isn't subject to seasonal fluctuations. Naturally, it's the farmers who weigh up the ecological and economic factors and ultimately decide what crops to grow on their land.
CO2-efficient agriculture
Another way of improving the overall CO2 footprint of our biofuels is our farmers' training programme. We develop strategies to help farmers successfully pursue low-CO2 agriculture on their farmland. They cover the entire chain from sowing to the application of fertilizer and finally harvesting. The aspect of CO2-enhanced agriculture is set to become increasingly important alongside the current focus on ensuring the high quality of raw materials. In particular, the fact that farmers use the ammonium sulphate solution from our bio-refinery as organic liquid fertilizer helps close the loop with agriculture and enables a high degree of sustainability.
Partners of agriculture
VERBIO has been working together with regional farmers' associations since 2010. A joint framework for rye cultivation for ethanol production is decided jointly. In parts of Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony and Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania, poor soils predominate where better yields can be achieved with rye than with other cereals. And this rye is exactly what VERBIO needs in order to produce bioethanol.
The situation after the 2009 harvest dominated by low prices and uncertain rye sales as well as the poor harvest in 2010 underlined that the contracts are a very important economic pillar for the farmers alongside their primary food production. In addition to guaranteed sales, our agricultural contracts give farmers a valuable opportunity to sell VERBIO low-quality grain which could not be used to make food or animal feed.
These contracts guarantee farmers before the harvest that we will purchase all qualities for a fixed price and even pay a premium for certified sustainable products. And if the price of bioethanol rises, the farmers benefit from the payment of an additional ethanol bonus.