Farming Innovation Programme: feasibility round five
Forecasted
Farming Innovation Programme: feasibility round five supports business-led collaborations to investigate early-stage farming solutions that benefit England’s farmers, growers and foresters.
This grant was recently updated
The applicant notification date has moved from 12 October 2026 to 15 October 2026 at 3:23pm.
Funder: UK Research and Innovation
Due Dates (Anticipated): September 2027 (Competition closing)
Funding Amounts: Up to £15 million total; £200,000–£500,000 eligible project costs; up to 24 months
Summary: Collaborative feasibility studies developing solutions to farming challenges, with demonstrable benefits for farmers, growers or foresters in England.
Key Information: A UK commercial business must lead, with at least one other grant-claiming UK organisation.
Description
This competition supports feasibility studies investigating new solutions to major on-farm or immediate post-farmgate challenges and opportunities. Funding comes from Defra’s industry-led Research and Development Partnerships Fund, part of the Farming Innovation Programme, delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.
Projects should investigate early-stage solutions that significantly improve agricultural productivity, resilience and sustainability while advancing low-emission farming and net zero. The programme prioritises commercially relevant benefits for farmers, growers and foresters, and collaboration with the wider UK research community. Projects must address at least one of four subsectors: farmed animals, plants, novel food production systems, or bioeconomy and agroforestry. Proposals must demonstrate benefits for farmers, growers or foresters in England.
