£5m grant scheme for innovative farm projects opens soon
© Tim Scrivener Farm businesses in England will soon be able to apply for a share of £5m in funding for projects that support farm resilience and benefit sustainable food production.
The Farming Innovation Investor Partnership Competition is due to open for applications on 24 July and will close on 30 August.
It is designed to help scale up and commercialise on-farm technologies for wider use throughout the agricultural industry.
See also: Defra increases funding to £31m for farming equipment grants
Up to 45% of the project can be covered by grant funding and total project costs must be between £750,000 and £30m.
Projects will also need to seek private investment in order to be eligible.
Funding has been made available as part of Defra’s wider £270m Farming Innovation Programme in partnership with Innovate UK.
Defra farming minister Mark Spencer said: “Supporting a resilient, sustainable and innovative agriculture sector that puts food on our tables while safeguarding the environment is my priority, and we are working with farmers to deliver this through our new farming schemes and grants.
“By bringing together cutting-edge agri-innovation and public and private investment, we can unlock new technologies that help make our farm businesses as productive as possible.”
Further information on eligibility and how to apply is available on the government website, with an online applicant briefing taking place on 25 July.