Farmers and growers across the UK will benefit from £12.6 million in new funding, with two fresh competitions backing research and development of innovative solutions that best cut costs, reduce seasonal labour, improve animal health, and tackle wider industry challenges.
- From 15 September, applications will open for the Small R&D Partnerships competition (Round 4) with up to £7.8 million to bring new agricultural technology onto the market.
- And from 13 October, applications for the Feasibility Studies competition (Round 4) open with up to £4.8 million for developing early ideas.
The innovation programmes are delivered in partnership with Innovate UK, which is the UK’s innovation agency, supporting businesses to develop and bring new products, processes, and services to market. This is the fourth round for each of the competitions. These latest competitions are part of the government’s commitment, set out in the Industrial Strategy, to allocate at least £200 million for the Farming Innovation Programme up to 2030.
Feasibility Studies competition
Feasibility Studies projects will test whether a research idea works in real-world conditions. The objective is to support early-stage, innovative solutions and encourage businesses to work together on new ideas. Projects can receive between £200,000 and £500,000 in funding and last up to 24 months. The competition will close on 3 December 2025
There will be a consortia-building event to help you find partners on 14 October 2025. Details here.
Small Research & Development Partnerships competition
The Small R&D Partnerships projects will 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. The competition will close on 5 November 2025.
Find out more on this Defra Farming Blog post.
