Farmers field
Thursday 22nd of May 2025 | Posted In: News and Views

Unlock Funding for Farm Innovation: 2025 Grants Now Open

If you're a farmer or grower in England looking to innovate or reduce environmental impact, 2025 offers new grant opportunities to support your goals. Two notable schemes – the ADOPT Full Grant Scheme and the Farming Futures R&D Fund: Low Emissions Farming – are designed to provide financial assistance for agricultural advancements. NFU Energy is providing grant support services for both schemes.

ADOPT Full Grant Scheme

Overview: The Accelerating Development of Practices and Technologies (ADOPT) fund is tailored for farmer-led trials that bridge the gap between innovative technologies and their practical application on farms.

Eligibility: Open to farmers, growers, and foresters in England interested in conducting on-farm trials or experiments to test new technologies or practices.

Funding Available: Grants of up to 80% are available for projects ranging from £50,000 to £100,000 to support innovative solutions to in a real-world farming context.

Scope: Projects should focus on practical trials that generate knowledge and encourage wider adoption of new practices within the farming community. Grant themes focus on productivity, resilience, sustainability, and progression towards Net Zero. 

Application Timeline: Applications are open as of Spring 2025, with Round 1 closing on 11 June 2025, however Round 2 begins on the 12 June 2025. A bespoke Support Hub has been established to assist applicants and encourage collaboration. 

 

Farming Futures R&D Fund: Low Emissions Farming

Overview: This fund aims to support ambitious solutions that reduce emissions in existing agricultural practices while enhancing climate resilience.

Eligibility: UK-registered businesses and research and technology organisations (RTOs) can lead projects. Projects must collaborate with other eligible partners and demonstrate benefits to farmers, growers, or foresters in England. You may only lead one project but can collaborate on several at once. 

Funding Available: Total project costs must be between £1 million and £2.5 million, with funding covering up to 70% of eligible costs for businesses or up to 100% for research organisations and not-for-profit/charity organisations.

Scope: Projects should address key areas such as regenerative farming, energy efficiency, methanisation (anaerobic digestion), reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and land management. The focus is on reducing emissions, improving productivity, and enhancing sustainability.

Application Process: The competition follows a two-stage process: an Expression of Interest stage assessed by DEFRA, followed by a full-stage application assessed by Innovate UK. The entire process spans approximately eight months. 

 

How We Can Assist You

As a dedicated consultancy, we offer comprehensive support to help you:

  • Identify the most suitable grant(s) for your specific needs and objectives.
  • Develop and refine your application to meet all eligibility and scope requirements.
  • Collaborate with industry experts and partners to strengthen your proposal.
  • Manage timelines and ensure all documentation is submitted accurately and promptly.

Contact us today on 024 7669 6512 or [email protected] to discuss your project concepts and begin your journey towards securing funding and driving innovation on your farm.