Farm tech projects could win up to £3m in new Defra fund

Farmers and agri-tech businesses could secure grants of up to £3 million under a new £13 million Defra fund aimed at turning agricultural research into practical farm technology.

The latest Farming Innovation Programme competition, announced by Defra Secretary Angela Eagle on Tuesday (1 September), will support a small number of high-potential projects moving closer to commercial use.

Delivered in partnership with Innovate UK, the scheme will offer grants ranging from £1 million to £3 million.

Projects are expected to involve collaboration between farmers, researchers and agri-tech businesses, with funding focused on new products and services that could improve productivity, resilience and sustainability on farms.

Previous rounds have supported technologies including robots designed to pick tomatoes, hoverflies used as a natural form of pest control in berry crops and a new vaccine being developed to protect pigs against Streptococcus suis.

The vaccine is intended to reduce disease, improve animal health and welfare and cut reliance on antibiotics.

Defra said the programme is designed to help move promising ideas beyond the research stage and into practical use on farms, targeting challenges such as labour shortages, animal health and crop protection.

The funding comes as farmers face growing pressure to improve productivity while managing labour shortages, rising costs and increasingly volatile weather conditions.

Ministers are also placing greater emphasis on getting publicly backed research into commercial use more quickly, so new technology can deliver measurable benefits on farms rather than remaining at the development stage.

Defra Secretary Angela Eagle said: "This funding will take brilliant ideas off the drawing board and put them to the test on farms, turning cutting-edge research into practical solutions that farmers can use."

She said the investment would also support farmers looking to improve productivity and build resilience.

Chris Danks, Head of Agrifood at Innovate UK, said: "Innovation is critical to supporting a productive, resilient and competitive farming sector."

He added that bringing farmers, researchers and agri-tech companies together would help move new ideas towards commercialisation and strengthen UK food production.

The announcement comes ahead of Back British Farming Day on 9 September.

It also coincides with the opening of applications for the £30m Farmer Collaboration Fund, which is designed to help farmers and land managers work together to reduce costs, share knowledge and improve resilience.