Innovative farming practices to be awarded £12.6m by DEFRA
5th September 2025
DEFRA has announced that over £12 million in funding will be available for farmers seeking to implement innovative practices on their farms.
Two new competition rounds are set to open this autumn through the Farming Innovation Programme (FIP).
DEFRA explained that the competitions offer research groups alongside farmers, growers and foresters the chance to test and develop ideas that could improve productivity, sustainability and resilience in agriculture.
In total, £12.6 million will be split between feasibility studies (£4.8 million) and small research & development partnerships (£7.8 million).
A spokesperson for the department said: “We’re not setting specific topics or themes for projects. Instead, we want to fund solutions that the industry tells us are the highest priority.”
Feasibility studies projects
DEFRA said that feasibility studies projects will test whether a research idea works in real-world conditions.
“We want to support early-stage, innovative solutions and encourage businesses to work together on new ideas. There will be a consortia-building event to help you find partners,” a spokesperson for the department explained.
Projects can receive between £200,000 and £500,000 in funding and last up to 24 months.
The guidance will be available on DEFRA’s website from 29th September.
The competition will open on 13th October 2025, with a consortia-building event being held on 14th October 2025. The competition will close on 3rd December 2025. Find more info here.
Small R&D partnerships projects
Small R&D partnerships projects are set to develop new farming products or services, bringing them closer to commercial use once you’ve proven your idea works in practice.
Projects should range from £1 million to £3 million and can last up to 30 months.
The guidance for small R&D partnerships is available now. Apply here.
The competition will open on 15th September 2025, with a consortia-building event being held on 18th September 2025. The competition will close on 5th November 2025.
DEFRA said that all projects in each competition must focus on improving the productivity, environmental sustainability and resilience of England’s agricultural, horticultural and forestry sectors.
Find more info about the Farming Innovation Programme here.
READ MORE: What farming grants are coming up?
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