A £13 million investment has been announced to help bring new technology from the lab to farms, providing practical tools for farmers. Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle opened the latest Farming Innovation Programme competition today, 1 September 2026, backed by this funding.
The competition, delivered in partnership with Innovate UK, will offer grants of £1-3 million to a small number of high-potential projects. These grants are intended to assist researchers, farmers, and agri-tech businesses in developing new products and services to improve productivity, resilience, and sustainability on farms.
Previous projects funded through the programme include robots for picking tomatoes, the use of hoverflies for natural pest control in berry crops, and the development of a new vaccine to protect pigs against Streptococcus suis, a common bacterial infection. This vaccine aims to improve animal health and welfare while reducing the need for antibiotics.
This latest round of funding is part of the broader Farming Innovation Programme, which has seen £123 million invested in agricultural innovation this year, following a £53 million boost announced in June. The government aims to invest at least £200 million in agricultural innovation by 2030, supporting rural growth, productivity, and food security.