British farming is to be supercharged with £345
million in funding to boost everyday productivity
alongside cutting-edge technologies to drive future
growth, Environment Secretary will announce today (Tuesday
24 February).
She will set out how the government is ‘taking
action to back farmers' in her address to the National
Farmers' Union Conference, underlining a focus
on partnership and listening to what farmers
need.
Building on the package announced at the Oxford Farming
Conference in January, the Environment Secretary will
outline how the government is responding to farmers' calls for
partnership, clarity and long-term stability after
extensive engagement with the sector.
Environment Secretary is expected to
say:
I am determined to give British farming the foundation it needs
to grow.
We want farm businesses that are productive, profitable, and
resilient.
We want to see more British food on more tables – here at home
and around the world.
And we want a countryside that is thriving – for wildlife, for
communities, and for the families who have worked this land for
generations.
The new Sustainable Farming Incentive offer
will be simpler, fairer, more stable, and shaped by
farmers. It will include 71 actions, down from
102, with agreements capped at £100,000 per year.
With around 97% of farms already below this level, the cap will
help ensure funding is shared more fairly and reaches more small
and medium sized farms. Applications will open in June for small
farms and those without a live Environmental Land Management
(ELM) revenue agreement, with small farms defined as holdings of
three to 50 hectares registered with the Rural Payments Agency
(as of 1 January 2026).
A second application window will open to all farmers in
September, with further details to follow. The SFI will continue
to back productive, profitable farm businesses that deliver food
security and value for consumers.
The package includes £70 million for the Farming Innovation
Programme to move cutting-edge research into practical
tools, allowing farmers to cultivate new crops that will help
them to grow their businesses. This builds
on a previous award of £21.5 million for 15
innovation projects across England to help farms cut
emissions, strengthen resilience and boost productivity
– from methane-cutting cattle feed to heatwave-proof
greenhouses.
£50 million in backing for the Farming Equipment and Technology
Fund will help farmers invest in equipment to improve
productivity and animal health and welfare and manage slurry,
boosting efficiency and performance. From seed-planting robots
which cut costs to pesticide spreaders that help reduce chemical
use, the grants enable farmers to increase efficiency and
sustainability – while supporting long-term food
affordability.
The funding, which delivers on the government's commitment to
invest at least £200 million in agricultural innovation by 2030,
will help farmers invest in infrastructure that boosts
productivity and resilience and improves animal health.
The Secretary of State will also confirm a new round of
Environmental Land Management (ELM) Capital Grants opening in
July 2026 with increased funding of up to £225 million available,
to help farm businesses invest in infrastructure that supports
environmental targets and long-term resilience. Farmers can apply
for funding to plant hedgerows for biodiversity, new slurry
storage tanks, introduce natural flood management measures, and
new livestock equipment helping to improve water
quality.
Further announcements will include:
-
Reinforcing high standards of animal health and
welfare by consulting on making Animal Health and Welfare
Reviews, known as vet visits, mandatory for
cattle, sheep and pig farmers in England through a
practical, proportionate approach.
-
Tackling the risk of avian influenza by launching a new grant
this summer to offer poultry biosecurity
reviews, delivered through on-farm vet
visits.
-
Shaping the Farming Roadmap through continued engagement with
farmers and industry, with work already well underway and
grounded in farmers' experience.
