Deadline Date: September 09, 2026
The Farming Innovation Programme: Feasibility Round 5 invites UK-registered businesses to apply for funding to undertake feasibility studies that develop innovative solutions for major on-farm and immediate post-farmgate challenges and opportunities.
The key priorities of the programme include investigating early-stage solutions to improve the productivity, sustainability, and resilience of farming, supporting the transition of agricultural sectors towards net zero, developing commercially relevant solutions that deliver positive outcomes for farmers, growers, and foresters, and accelerating agricultural research and development through collaboration with the wider UK research community.
The competition is funded through the industry-led R&D Partnerships Fund as part of the Farming Innovation Programme. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) will invest up to £15 million in this funding round, subject to receiving a sufficient number of high-quality applications. The programme is delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.
Eligible projects must have total costs between £200,000 and £500,000, run for up to 24 months, start by 1 January 2027, and end by 31 December 2028. Projects must begin on the first day of the month and cannot commence until the Grant Offer Letter has been approved by Innovate UK.
All funded organisations must carry out project activities in the United Kingdom, intend to exploit the project results within the UK, and spend the majority of the funding in the UK. Applications should include only eligible project costs.
To lead a collaborative project, the lead organisation must be a UK-registered business of any size, including sole traders and partnerships. The lead applicant must demonstrate that it is an established commercial business and collaborate with other UK-registered organisations, including at least one additional grant-claiming business.
If an application passes the technical assessment, any awards made to primary agricultural producers will be subject to the green box exemption under the World Trade Organization Agreement on Agriculture, and recipients must comply with the relevant requirements.
For more information, visit GOV.UK.
