Farmers can apply for bigger innovation grants under Defra scheme

Defra has doubled the funding ceiling for farmer-led innovation projects, allowing larger on-farm trials to be supported through its ADOPT programme.

Farmers, growers and foresters can now apply for projects with eligible costs of up to £200,000, up from the previous limit of £100,000.

Successful applicants can receive funding for up to 80% of eligible costs, alongside access to facilitator support.

The increase applies from Round 8 of the Accelerating Development of Practices and Technologies fund, which is now open for applications.

ADOPT is open to farmers, growers and foresters working collaboratively with others across the UK, although the lead farmer must be based in England.

Projects must run for between six and 24 months and continue to be farmer-led, collaborative and focused on practical on-farm testing.

Defra said the higher limit had been introduced following feedback from the farming community.

The change is intended to support more ambitious trials involving more farms, partners and data, while generating stronger evidence for the wider sector.

Delivered by Innovate UK, ADOPT supports practical projects that test new ideas, approaches and technologies to address on-farm challenges.

The programme aims to improve farm productivity, sustainability and resilience.

The higher threshold is expected to make it easier for ideas to be trialled across multiple farms and different growing conditions.

It should also create more scope to involve researchers, technology providers and industry partners where additional expertise can strengthen a project.

The minimum eligible project cost remains £50,000, and projects of all sizes will continue to be assessed against the same criteria.

Applicants whose ideas were previously constrained by the £100,000 cap can now revisit those proposals.

Those who were unsuccessful in earlier rounds can also refine their projects using feedback received and submit a new application.

Funding is offered through rolling application windows, opening roughly every eight to nine weeks.

Defra has also confirmed two further rounds beyond those previously scheduled, with dates for Rounds 11 and 12 yet to be announced.

Thomas Slattery, engagement lead at the UK Agri-Tech Centre, said ADOPT was designed to help farmers test practical ideas that could benefit their own businesses and the wider industry.

He said: “ADOPT was designed to help farmers test practical ideas that could make a real difference to their businesses and the wider industry.”

As the programme has developed, he said farmers had made clear that some challenges require larger-scale trials involving “more farms, more data and a broader range of expertise”.

Mr Slattery added: “We’re pleased that Defra has increased the maximum eligible project costs to £200,000.”

He said the change would allow farmers to undertake more ambitious projects, bring more partners together and generate stronger evidence that can be shared across the sector.

Alongside funding, applicants can access free support and guidance through the ADOPT Support Hub.

The hub is delivered by ADAS, the UK Agri-Tech Centre and the Soil Association, and provides one-to-one support during the application process and project delivery.

The latest round is now open for applications.