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2 clusters · 3 sources · 29 days · First seen · Last updated

UK agricultural technology investment

Overview

The UK government has initiated several funding rounds through the Farming Innovation Programme and Innovate UK to advance agricultural technology.

In August 2026, a £20 million fund was announced to develop robotic and automated technologies for planting, tending, and harvesting crops. Farming Minister Stephen Morgan stated the investment aims to address seasonal labour shortages, increase yields, and support British ingenuity. This was part of a larger £53 million injection intended to contribute toward a pledge of at least £200 million in farming innovation by 2030.

Following this, in September 2026, Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle announced a new £13 million competition. This specific initiative focuses on transitioning agricultural technologies from laboratory research to practical farm applications. Selected projects may receive grants between £1 million and £3 million to enhance productivity, resilience, and sustainability while addressing challenges such as animal health and crop protection.

Entities

Innovate UK · Dame Angela Eagle · UK Government · Farming Innovation Programme · Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

Timeline

  1. 9 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 3 sources
    UK government launches £13m agri-tech innovation fund

    The UK government has announced a £13 million Farming Innovation Programme competition to fund agri-tech projects, providing grants of £1–3 million to improve farm productivity and sustainability.

  2. about 1 month ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
    UK Government Allocates £20 million for Farm Robotics and Automation

    The UK government announced a £20 million fund under the Farming Innovation Programme to develop farm robots for planting, tending and harvesting, aiming to ease labour shortages and boost yields, with a £200 m

Sources

fpcfreshtalkdaily.co.uk · hortidaily.com · retailgazette.co.uk