Defra’s farm investment fund

Applications for Defra’s Farming Investment Fund opened yesterday, offering farmers south of the border a £27m grant pot for adopting new technologies and investing in productivity-boosting equipment.

English farmers, foresters and growers have been urged to apply for grants to help them buy new equipment and infrastructure to help to improve efficiency’.

“This could include solar powered electric fences, water treatment systems that use ultraviolet light ratherthanchemicalsandcameras for monitoring livestock,” said a Defra spokesperson.

The fund will be split across two strands. First, the Farming Equipment and Technol. ogy Fund will focus on smaller grantsforequipmentfromaset list,includingelectronicseeders and chemical-free disinfection systems. Second, the Farming Transformation Fund will covermoresubstantialtechnology, with the potential to transform business performance – and thisstrandwillfocusinitiallyon watermanagementwithgrants available to improve water use on farms.

Defra Farming Minister, Victoria Prentis said the measures wouldhelpfarmersinvestin technology and infrastructure to boost productivity and deliver environmental benefits.

“Investinginnewtechnologyandequipmentonfarm hasarealimpactonproductivity and yields, as well as a benefitfortheenvironment as we build on the historic commitments of COP 26.”

Prenticesaidthattheagricultural Transition Fund would also incentivise sustainable farming practices, rewarding farmers for producing public goods such as better air and water quality, protecting wildlife, soil health and animal welfare.