New £53 million investment for farming innovation

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A person in a white lab coat stands in a greenhouse aisle, inspecting ripe red tomatoes growing on tall vines supported by white rails on both sides, with green foliage surrounding the walkway

The Farming Innovation Programme (FIP),will receive an additional £53 million investment this year. This means that those trialling new technologies and innovative approaches to cut costs, improve productivity and strengthen business resilience on farms will be able to benefit from a total investment of £123 million across the 2026/27 financial year.

Apply now for a water screening study 

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Guest post, Water
Wide landscape view of a green marshland with tall grasses and patches of reeds in the foreground, leading to a calm, narrow stretch of water in the middle distance. A low tree line sits along the horizon, and above it a large, partly cloudy sky shows a mix of soft grey clouds and blue patches with warm light near the horizon.

Farmers in England can apply for a Local Resource Option (LRO) screening study. These studies help groups of farmers explore practical ways to secure reliable water supplies and improve long-term resilience. In this post, we explain how the studies work, what they can help farmers achieve, and how to apply.

Farming podcast: building resilience through soil and water management

Posted by: and , Posted on: - Categories: Conversations we're having, Defra Farming Podcast
Green background with illustrated farmland and silhouettes of two people walking, alongside text naming speakers Hannah Barrett, Charlie Ennals and Thomas Gent, and three small speaker headshots.

In this episode, a Catchment Sensitive Farming adviser speaks to two arable farmers. One farms in Norfolk and the other in Cambridgeshire. They discuss how natural processes, like soil and water management, can help farms reduce costs.

First precision breeding and low emissions projects awarded funding 

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precision_plants_founders_mark_turner_wearing_gloves_and_charles_clowes_holding_hemp_dna

From rubber made from dandelions to climate‑friendly faba beans in dairy farming, we’re pleased to highlight the innovative projects to receive funding under the first round of precision‑breeding and low‑emissions competitions.