203 Mr. Leonard asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he has had investigations made into the possibilities for industrial outlets for tillage crops. [5932/97]

Teagasc, the body responsible for research in agriculture and food, is examining the potential for producing tillage crops for non-food purposes. This would include, for instance, the production of bio-fuels from plant oil and from a range of crops including wheat, sugar beet and grass. Last year over 70 farmers in Ireland were involved in growing non-food crops for use in the pharmaceutical industry in the UK. It is, of course, a matter for each farmer who produces such crops to ensure that industrial markets are secured for the crops.