§ 27. Mr. Ridleyasked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science when the Agricultural Research Council will complete its research into the storage of wet grain.
§ Mr. Denzil FreethI am informed by the Agricultural Research Council that the Rowett Research Institute is investigating the feeding value of barley that has been stored in damp condition. The results from the first trials are expected to be available towards the end of this year. Further trials will not be completed before some time in 1964.
§ Mr. RidleyIs it not true that the Agricultural Research Council has been working on this problem for nearly three years now and many farmers are already storing wet grain? Surely my hon. Friend can tell us when he expects research to catch up with practice in this matter?
§ Mr. FreethThe Agricultural Research Council has been working on this problem from 1952. At the present moment we have investigations on a laboratory scale at the Rowett Research Institute and also on a wider scale on experimental farms run by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. When we have the results of those investigations to hand, I think we shall be in a better position to make an announcement.