£50m grant fund opens for farm tech and equipment

• Latest launch of FETF grants

• Six-week application window

• Goal to boost farming profits

A multi-million-pound fund opens for applications this month to boost farm profitability, productivity and food security.

The £46.7 million Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) offers three types of grant – each worth up to £25,000. It can be used to purchase machinery and equipment, manage slurry or improve animal health and welfare.

The aim is to help reduce farm costs while increasing efficiency and sustainability. Examples include seed-drilling systems which cut costs, arable yield monitors, or slurry separator systems to reduce reliance on fertiliser.

A £5 million Investor Partnerships programme will blend government grant money with private investment to bring cutting edge technology to market, giving farmers faster and more widespread access to state-of-the-art innovations.

Defra farm minister Daniel Zeichner said: “Equipment and technology help drive farming forward and we will work with investors to fund more resilient, sustainable farms boosting profitability, productivity and food security.”

Plan for Change

Mr Zeichner added: “This is the Plan for Change in action and these grants will help provide our farmers with the equipment necessary to adapt, compete, and grow no matter what challenges lie ahead.”

A successful pilot has already reduced reliance on seasonal labour through bringing high-yield broccoli harvesters to market and helped crops grow healthier and faster without chemicals by using new seed cleaning technologies.

The government has repeatedly said it wants to increase the profitability of the farming industry. Defra says the new grant will help to protect food supply chains – and also create a more sustainable agricultural sector.

The announcement follows £45.6m in funding to help drive the development of new inventions and technologies, helping farmers increase their profits, boost food production and help nature.

Defra has published a list of eligible items which can be funded using a FETF grant. Some items, scores and specifications in this list have changed from those available until the FETF last year. Some equipment may no longer be eligible.

The grant is competitive, which means applicants may not receive all the funding they apply for. Farmers are expected to part-fund the purchase of new equipment rather than receiving the total cost of a new machine.

The only application window for all FETF 2025 grants will open on Thursday 29 May and will close at midday on 10 July 2025. Applications submitted after this time will not be accepted, says Defra.

For full details, bit.ly/FETF2025

New leader for GWCT Allerton Project

Alice Mead has been appointed head of the GWCT Allerton Project, which researches the benefits of different farming methods on wildlife and the environment.

With a background in sustainable agriculture and regenerative practices, Ms Mead brings over a decade of hands-on experience helping farmers adapt to environmental change and adopt more collaborative approaches.

Alastair Leake, who over 25 years has been instrumental to the Allerton Project’s success, will continue as project director while extending his broader role as policy director for the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust.

Dr Leake said: “I am delighted to hand over the reins of management to Alice to take the project forward to the next stage at a both exciting yet challenging time for farming and the environment. There is no better person to take up this challenge.”

Before joining Allerton almost three years ago, Ms Mead spent seven years with the Linking Environment and Farming charity (LEAF).

She said: “I look forward to driving forward our work—developing new initiatives, filling knowledge gaps, and enhancing communication so that our research leads to tangible improvements on farms and in the broader countryside.”