20 January 2022

Farmers and growers in England can apply for up to £500,000 in Government funding  to invest in cutting edge robotics and technology to boost food production and farm and horticulture productivity.

Grants ranging from £35,000 up to £500,000 are available to invest in productivity-boosting equipment such as driverless tractors, robots that harvest, spray crops and weed, and automated milking systems.

The application window for the Improving Farm Productivity theme of the Farming Investment Fund has opened today.

The new theme, worth £25 million in total, is the latest installment of the Farming Investment Fund – an umbrella fund which opened in November and is designed to further increase productivity on farms.

It’s part of the Government’s Agricultural Transition Plan – the biggest changes to farming in almost 50 years, which will reward farmers and landowners for actions which benefit the environment, supporting sustainable food production alongside vital nature recovery and work towards net zero.

Farmers and agricultural contractors are being urged to take advantage of this opportunity to apply for grants to buy new equipment and infrastructure to improve efficiency and help us build back greener. Further themed grants will open later this year.

The application window for the Improving Farm Productivity grants is open from 19 January 2022 to 16 March 2022.

• Read more about the Farming Investment Fund and how to apply.
• Read the guidance on Improving Farm Productivity.
• Check if you can apply for a Farming Transformation Fund Improving Farm Productivity Grant