£1.2bn farming research review reveals push for greater focus on profit

Farmers want agricultural research to focus on improving profitability and tackling practical challenges, a major new review of £1.2 billion in UK research funding has found.

The State of Agricultural Research & Innovation 2026 report, launched on Tuesday (20 October), examined public funding for agricultural research alongside the priorities of more than 600 respondents, including over 300 farmers.

Produced by the Centre for Agricultural Research Impact (Ag.Impact), the review found that profitable farming was the leading research priority for most farmers surveyed.

However, interdisciplinary and cross-cutting projects accounted for just 7% of the funding analysed, highlighting opportunities for greater collaboration between research organisations and a more joined-up approach to the challenges facing agriculture.

The findings come as farm businesses face continued pressure from rising input costs, changing weather patterns and demands to improve productivity while delivering environmental benefits.

Recent analysis from the Andersons Centre estimated agricultural input inflation reached 7.8% in the year to September 2026, underlining the financial pressures facing producers.

Researchers examined £1.2 billion of public funding awarded between 2022 and 2026, comparing investment with priorities identified through surveys, interviews and workshops involving farmers, scientists and other agricultural stakeholders.

The review found widespread agreement that research should address real farming challenges, deliver practical applications and involve farmers and growers from the outset.

Professor Tom MacMillan, chief executive of Ag.Impact, said: "Farmers and researchers are telling us they want work to answer real questions, grounded in what happens on farms."

He said the review provided a clearer picture of how research funding was being directed and where changes could improve its benefits for agriculture.

While recognising the UK's strengths in agricultural science, the report identifies opportunities to strengthen coordination between funders, universities, specialist research institutes and farmers.

The relatively small proportion of interdisciplinary projects suggests scope for greater collaboration on connected challenges, including farm productivity, soil health, water management and climate resilience.

However, the findings do not mean that research outside these categories lacks practical value, nor do they establish that the remaining funding is failing to meet farmers' needs.

The review also stresses the importance of long-term scientific investment, highlighting forage breeding work at Aberystwyth University's Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS).

Researchers and industry partners have worked for decades to develop improved grasses and legumes, with new grass varieties typically taking between 15 and 20 years to reach commercial farms.

The programme demonstrates why agricultural innovation often requires sustained funding and close partnerships between scientists and industry.

Meanwhile, Defra's Accelerating Development of Practices and Technologies (ADOPT) programme is highlighted as a positive example of farmer-led research.

Delivered by Innovate UK through the Farming Innovation Programme, the scheme enables groups of farmers to test their own ideas on farms, supported by researchers, with findings shared more widely.

The report calls for more accessible farmer-centred research programmes, reliable long-term funding and better sharing of knowledge and data.

It also recommends closer coordination across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to reduce unnecessary duplication and make better use of existing research resources.

The £1.2 billion examined represents public research funding already awarded during the review period, rather than a new government spending commitment.

Ag.Impact plans to update its assessment annually, providing an ongoing picture of how agricultural research investment is distributed and how it compares with the farming industry's changing priorities.

The findings place fresh attention on how research funders can balance the immediate need to improve farm profitability with the long-term scientific investment required to support UK food production.