The Government has a range of grants and other funding available to assist farmers, growers and land managers with increasing productivity and supporting both the environment and their agricultural business.
Throughout 2023, more than £168m of funding is being made available through a variety of grants.
To enable farmers and land managers to easily identify the different funding options, we have compiled an overview of some of the available funding schemes. If the eligibility criteria are met, it is possible to apply for more than one scheme.
Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL)
Eligibility
Farmers or land managers within an area of outstanding natural beauty or national park in England.
Closing date
Projects must end by March 2025.
Grant value
Varies depending on the project.
Information
Projects must support nature recovery; mitigate the impact of climate change; provide opportunities for people to discover nature; and protect or improve the quality and character of the landscape.
Further details of FiPL can be found here.
Annual Health and Welfare Review
Eligibility
There are criteria regarding minimum number of animals required when the vet visits to carry out the review.
- 11 or more beef cattle;
- 11 or more dairy cattle;
- 21 or more sheep; and
- 51 or more pigs.
Closing date
Open for applications at any time of year.
Grant value
Funding is allocated based on each livestock type, not for each animal.
- £522 for a beef cattle review;
- £372 for a dairy cattle review;
- £436 for a sheep review; and
- £684 for a pig review.
Information
Farmers who keep cattle, sheep and pigs can get funding to pay for a vet to visit their farm and carry out an annual health and welfare review.
Full guidance can be found here.
Calf Housing for Health and Welfare grant
Eligibility
Existing cattle farmers carrying out farming activity, including calf rearing, with 11 or more cattle.
The land that is being built on must either be owned or have a tenancy agreement until 5 years after the project is complete. If the agreement ends sooner than 5 years, applications can still be made if the tenancy is expected to continue.
Beef and dairy farmers can click here to check if they are eligible.
Closing date
11.59pm on 30 November 2023
Grant value
From £15,000 to £500,000
Information
The grant is intended to enable farmers to build new, or upgrade existing, buildings to house calves to deliver health and welfare benefits.
For the purposes of this grant, the term ‘calf’ refers to domestic cattle up to 6 months old.
Full details on the grant can be found here.
Farming Innovation Programme (FIP)
Eligibility
To obtain funding through the Farming Innovation Programme, applicants must work as part of a team; this includes working with experienced collaborators who are able to understand the innovation project.
There are specific eligibility criteria, depending on the competition that is being applied for.
Closing date
Closing dates vary, depending on the competition. Click here for more details.
Grant value
Grant amounts vary, depending on the competition.
Information
FIP grants are available to
- Improve agricultural and horticultural productivity, sustainability and resilience;
- Reduce the environmental impact of agriculture and horticulture; and
- Use science and research to develop solutions for practical challenges in agriculture and horticulture.
FIP grants are provided through the Defra Farming and Countryside Programme. Further information is available on the UK Research and Innovation website.
All funding is awarded through competitions. This means applications for each competition will be judged, and only the successful ones will be funded.
Farming Investment Fund (FIF)
The Farming Investment Fund is made up of two separate grants – the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund and the Farming Transformation Fund.
The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund round 1 is now closed for applications and funding must be claimed by midnight on 5 December 2023.
Farming Transformation Fund
The Farming Transformation Fund includes 5 grants. This page will be updated with new FIF grants or further application rounds of previous grants when they open.
There are 3 FIF grants that are currently open.
Slurry Infrastructure Grant (round 2)
Eligibility
Available to pig, beef and dairy farmers whose farming systems produce slurry.
There is a 3 stage application process:
1.) Applicants must have a good understanding of their current and future slurry storage requirements. Use the slurry wizard tool to help with this. The online checker can then be used to assess eligibility and the amount of grant available, based on storage needs;
2.) If a project is shortlisted, RPA will request completion of a slurry store location and design assessment form; and
3.) If the Environment Agency confirm that the location and design assessment is satisfactory, applicants will be asked to submit a full application.
Closing date
The slurry store location and design assessment form must be submitted by 30 September 2024.
The full application must be submitted by 27 June 2025.
Grant value
Between £25,000 and £250,000
Information
The grant is available to help replace, build additional, expand or cover existing slurry stores to provide 6 months’ storage.
Guidance for round 1 applicants – if you’ve been invited to make a full application, you have until 11:59pm on 28 June 2024 to submit your documents.
Water Management grant (round 2)
Eligibility
Applicants must be both
- Representing an arable and horticultural business; and
- Growing, or intending to grow irrigated food crops, ornamentals or forestry nurseries in England.
The grant is competitive, so the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) will score applications and award a grant to those with the highest score.
Closing date
The online checker is now closed. The RPA will invite those applicants that scored highly enough against the funding priorities to make a full application.
Applications and supporting documents must be received by 23.59pm on 31 October 2024.
Full details on application requirements can be found here.
Grant value
40% of eligible costs of a project up to £500,000.
Information
The grant is intended for capital items to improve farm productivity through more efficient use of water for irrigation, and to secure water supplies for crop irrigation.
Adding Value grant
Eligibility
A grant for buildings, machinery or equipment that enable producers to add value to eligible agricultural products after they are harvested or reared.
Eligible agricultural products include
- Arable and horticultural crops (including food and non-food crops);
- Livestock products (including dairy, meat, skins and hides); and
- Non-food crops (including fodder, fibres and flowers).
A full list of eligible agricultural products can be found here.
Closing date
Stage 1 of the application process is now complete. Applicants who were successful at stage 1 must submit their full application by 31 January 2024.
Grant value
Between £25,000 and £300,000.
Information
The Adding Value grant is available for growers or producers to add value to eligible agricultural products after they have been harvested or reared.
How M+A Partners can help
Details of funding for farmers, growers and land managers will be updated within our news section.
For any queries on funding and grants available, please contact our experts or your usual M+A Partners contact.
