Major grain plant plans unveiled

Plans have been unveiled for a major plant to store up to 100,000 tonnes of grain in Northamptonshire.

The scheme has been announced by farmer-owned grain merchant, Grainfarmers for a disused quarry site near the A14 in the Kettering area.

Crops would be moved to the plant and processed at harvest rather than stored at farms, meaning fewer lorry movements on to farms through villages.

If given the go-ahead the plant would be opened in July 2009.

Farmers using the facility will be located between Grantham, Lincolnshire, and Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.

Sarah Bell, of Grainfarmers, said the plant would benefit both farmers and local communities and reduce food miles.

"We're looking to build a stronger and better supply chain, so by ensuring crops are going into an advanced processing plant to be processed and prepared they're not sitting in farm stores," she said.

"It reduces lorry movements through small villages so that this grain, once it's moved off the farm, will only be moved on the major trunk roads in the region."

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