Farmers offered up to 80% funding to trial new technologies

Farmers, growers and foresters in England can now apply for a share of £5 million to trial new technologies and practices, with government grants covering up to 80% of eligible costs.

The latest round of Defra's Accelerating Development of Practices and Technologies (ADOPT) fund opened on Thursday (8 October), supporting farmer-led projects with total eligible costs of between £50,000 and £200,000.

Applications close at 11am on 2 December 2026, with funding available for collaborative trials designed to improve productivity, resilience and sustainability on working farms.

To qualify, projects must be led by an established farming, growing or forestry business in England, working alongside at least one other UK farming, growing or forestry business.

The funding is delivered through Defra's Farming Innovation Programme in partnership with Innovate UK, supporting trials of new approaches under commercial farming conditions.

Eligible farming, growing and forestry businesses in England, Scotland and Wales can receive up to 80% of their eligible project costs, with the remaining amount funded by the businesses themselves.

Different funding rates apply to other types of project partner. Funding can cover farmer and staff time, machinery use, fuel, maintenance, materials, specialist expertise, data collection and technical reporting.

Projects must run for between six and 24 months, with successful applicants expected to start by 1 April 2027.

Unlike traditional research funding, ADOPT supports practical trials carried out on working farms.

Existing projects include trials of livestock fertility monitoring technology and alternative arable cropping systems.

One project is testing whether technology measuring bull sperm quality, combined with electronic monitoring of behaviour, could help beef producers identify fertility problems earlier.

The trial is examining whether the equipment could reduce breeding failures and improve herd productivity.

Another project at Lower Farm in Oxfordshire is examining relay cropping, where a second crop is established before the first is harvested.

The trial is assessing whether the approach could improve productivity, soil health and resilience by making better use of available growing conditions.

Thomas Slattery, who leads farmer engagement and communications for the ADOPT Support Hub, said: “It's designed to reduce the risk of trying something new.”

He explained that the programme allows farmers to test new approaches in commercial conditions and share the findings with the wider industry.

Farmers developing an application can also seek a separate £2,500 ADOPT Facilitator Support Grant to help prepare proposals with an approved external facilitator.

The funding can help eligible applicants in England develop project ideas, identify suitable partners and prepare applications, with submissions closing at 11am on 11 November 2026.

A registered project facilitator is required for the main ADOPT application, although securing the separate £2,500 support grant is optional.

Free advice is also available through the ADOPT Support Hub, delivered by ADAS, the UK Agri-Tech Centre and the Soil Association.

The hub will host a webinar on 22 October, from 11am to 12.30pm, covering eligibility, application requirements and how to find a project facilitator.

Applications for the main funding round must be submitted by 11am on Wednesday, 2 December 2026, through the government's Innovation Funding Service.