Farming Equipment and Technology Fund 2026

The application window for the next round of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF 2026) will open on 17th March 2026. A total of £50 million will be available to farmers, growers, foresters and their contractors to invest in equipment and technology.

Funding is split across 3 themes:

• £20 million for farm productivity

• £20 million for animal health and welfare

• £10 million for slurry management

Grants range from £1,000 to £25,000 per theme and you will only be able to submit one application for each theme. You can apply for items under more than one theme, up to a combined maximum of £75,000. DEFRA will pay a percentage of the cost of each item, and the exact amount depends on the item you choose.

In total, 290 items are eligible for funding. You can apply for a grant towards the cost of specific items from approved lists within these themes. These items can cut costs, improve efficiency and protect profits, helping you improve efficiency on farm and strengthen profitability.

There are 70 productivity items available in this round, and you can apply for a grant towards any of them. A range of new items have been added this year, including autonomous UV-C light treatment. Items include:

• weed wipers that apply herbicide directly to taller weeds instead of spraying the whole field, reducing chemical use and protecting crops and wildlife

• rainwater harvesting tanks that collect and store rainfall for on-farm use, reducing reliance on mains or abstracted water during dry periods

• camera-guided inter-row sprayers that target crops between rows, reducing chemical use and input costs

• robotic silage pushers that move feed towards livestock throughout the day, improving feed access and reducing waste

The Animal Health and Welfare grant is only available if you farm any of the following:

• beef cattle

• dairy cattle

• sheep

• pigs

• laying chickens (including rearing and breeding farms)

• broiler chickens (including rearing and breeding farms)

This will be the final standalone round of FETF in its current form. DEFRA intend to simplify the application process and target funding more effectively by bringing together the elements of grant schemes from 2027.

For more information or advice, you can contact us today via the contact button below.

- Sam Barton, Chartered Surveyor