Farming Equipment & Technology Fund

The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) is now open for applications from farmers, growers, foresters and their contractors to invest in equipment and technology.

Funding is split across three themes: farm productivity, animal health & welfare, and slurry management.

You can apply for a grant towards the cost of specific items from approved lists within these themes. In total, 290 items are eligible for funding.

Grants range from £1,000 to £25,000 per theme. You can apply for items under more than one theme, up to a combined maximum of £75,000. DEFRA will pay a percentage of the cost of each item. The exact amount depends on the item you choose.

Updates to the fund

• Some items have been added or removed, so it's wise to check the latest lists carefully
• The vet advice and new entrants score uplift have been removed
• The option to use a separate correspondence address in the Farming Investment Fund (FIF) Service has been removed. Your contact details must match those registered in the Rural Payments service.

This will be the final standalone round of FETF in its current form. DEFRA says that from 2027, it will combine the strongest elements of the grant schemes to simplify the application process and target funding more effectively.

How do I apply?

Applications are now being accepted and will run for 6 weeks, closing midday 28 April 2026.

Visit the Government website to apply.

Once the application window closes, all applications will be reviewed and scored. You may not receive all, or any, of the funding you apply for.

What does the funding cover?

Productivity

This funding is intended to help boost your farm’s efficiency and profitability. There are 70 productivity items available in this round, including several new items, and you can apply for a grant towards any of them.

Popular eligible items include:

• weed wipers that apply herbicide directly to taller weeds instead of spraying the whole field, reducing chemical use and protecting crops and wildlife
• rainwater harvesting tanks that collect and store rainfall for on-farm use, reducing reliance on mains or abstracted water during dry periods
• camera-guided inter-row sprayers that target crops between rows, reducing chemical use and input costs
• robotic silage pushers that move feed towards livestock throughout the day, improving feed access and reducing waste

The full list of items and specifications can be found in the guidance.

Slurry Management

This grant is for improving how you collect, store, test and spread slurry.

Better slurry management helps improve soil health, water, and air quality while maximising valuable nutrients, supporting the environment and your bottom line.

There are 17 different slurry equipment items, and popular items eligible include:

• Robotic slurry collectors

• Flow rate monitoring equipment

• Low-emission slurry spreaders, such as dribble bars.

Animal Health & Welfare

Working with farmers, vets, academics and industry groups, DEFRA have developed this fund to help you improve your livestock’s health and welfare, leading to higher productivity, better quality, and more reliable food production, all of which help increase your profits.

Animal health and welfare grants are available to commercial farmers who keep pigs, sheep, dairy cows, beef cattle, layer chickens or broilers.

There are more than 100 eligible items. Popular items include:

• Biosecurity equipment such as portable storage bins, water tanks and sheeted gates to prevent wildlife from entering livestock areas and contaminating feed
• Ventilation equipment, such as fans and chimneys to improve airflow in housing. This reduces temperature, humidity and harmful gases, lowering the risk of heat stress during hot weather.

The full list of items and specifications can be found in the guidance. Your vet can also help you identify the most useful improvements for your farm and the equipment that could support them. You can take advantage of DEFRA's funded vet visit to have this conversation.

Full guidance on the FETF fund is available here. If you'd like some help with your application, talk to one of our Agricultural Advisors. Leave your details below and we'll get in touch.