Farming Futures R&D Fund: Precision Breeding (UK)

The funding is from the Farming Futures R&D Fund, a part of the Farming Innovation Programme.

Aims

• The aim of this competition is to fund collaborative industrial research projects to unlock the benefits of precision breeding in developing ambitious new solutions leading to more sustainable and productive farming practices.

Specific Themes

• Your project must focus on one of the following:
  • horticultural crops
  • arable crops

Research Categories

• Innovate UK supports the following R&D categories:
  • fundamental research
  • feasibility studies
  • industrial research
  • experimental development

Funding Information

• Up to £12.5 million has been allocated to fund innovation projects in this competition. Funding will be in the form of a grant.
• Your project’s total eligible costs must be between £1 million and £2.5 million.
• For industrial research projects, you can get funding for your eligible project costs of:
  • up to 70% if you are a micro or small organisation
  • up to 60% if you are a medium sized organisation
  • up to 50% if you are a large organization

Ineligible Projects

• They are not funding projects that are:
  • not addressing precision breeding techniques as set out in the Genetic Technology Act 2023
  • duplicating existing projects funded by the Crop Genetic Improvement Platform or any UK public funded body
  • relating to animals
  • forestry specific
  • for the production of crops or plants for medicinal or pharmaceutical use
  • not benefiting farmers or growers in England
  • circular economy or energy production specific
• They cannot fund projects that are:
  • dependent on export performance, for example, giving a subsidy to a baker on the condition that it exports a certain quantity of bread to another country
  • dependent on domestic inputs usage, for example, giving a subsidy to a baker on the condition that it uses 50% UK flour in their product

Eligibility Criteria

• Your project must:
  • last up to 36 months
  • address the specific requirements of precision breeding as set out in the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023
  • be able to demonstrate how the project will benefit farmers or growers in England
  • carry out all its project work in the UK
  • intend to exploit the results from or in England
  • start by 1 January 2026
  • end by 31 December 2028
• To lead a project your organisation must:
  • be a UK registered business of any size
  • collaborate with at least one other UK registered organization
• To collaborate with the lead, your organisation must be one of the following UK registered:
  • business of any size
  • academic institution
  • charity
  • not for profit
  • public sector organisation
  • research and technology organisation (RTO)

For more information, visit GOV.UK.