The application window for the next round of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF 2026) in England will open on 17th March and close at midday on the 28th of April 2026. Guidance has been issued by the government to help you prepare.
This will be the final standalone round of FETF in its current form as the strongest elements of grant schemes from 2027 will be brought together to simplify the application process and target funding more effectively.
Funding available
A total of £50 million will be available to farmers, growers, foresters and their contractors to invest in equipment and technology.
Funding is split across three themes:
- £20 million for farm productivity
- £20 million for animal health and welfare
- £10 million for slurry management
You can apply for a grant towards the cost of specific items from approved lists within these themes. In total, 290 items that can cut costs, improve efficiency, and protect profits are eligible for funding.
Grants range from £1,000 to £25,000 per theme and you can apply for items under more than one theme, up to a combined maximum of £75,000. A percentage cost of each item is paid for – the exact amount depends on the item you choose.
Changes in this round
- Some items have been added or removed
- The vet advice and new entrants score uplift has 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
Farm productivity
This grant can help you improve efficiency on farm and strengthen profitability.
There are 70 productivity items available in this round, and you can apply for a grant towards any of them. A range of new items has been added this year, including autonomous UV-C light treatment.
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.
Applications for productivity items are scored based on the extent to which they improve productivity, deliver environmental benefits, and how widely the items are used across the industry. The full list of items and specifications can be found in the guidance.
Animal health and welfare
Animal health and welfare grants are available to commercial farmers who keep pigs, sheep, dairy cows, beef cattle, laying hens or broilers.
This grant can help you invest in equipment that improves livestock health and welfare – supporting productivity, product quality and more consistent production, while strengthening profitability.
There are over 100 animal health and welfare items available in this round, and you can apply for a grant towards any of them.
Items include:
- 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.
- Biosecurity equipment such as portable storage bins, water tanks and sheeted gates to prevent wildlife entering livestock areas and contaminating feed.
The full list of items and specifications can be found in the guidance.
Your vet can help you identify the most useful improvements for your farm and the equipment that could support them. You can take advantage of a funded vet visit to have this conversation.
Slurry management
This grant can help you improve how you collect, store, test and apply slurry.
Better slurry management supports soil health and water and air quality, while helping you make the most of valuable nutrients – which can support nature and reduce the need for purchased fertiliser.
There are 17 slurry management items available in this round, including:
- Robotic slurry collectors which automatically remove slurry from livestock housing, improving hygiene, reducing labour and helping maintain better air quality for animals and workers.
- Flow-rate monitoring equipment which measures how much slurry is being applied in real time, allowing more accurate spreading. This helps avoid over – or under-application, improves nutrient use and can reduce fertiliser costs.
- Low-emission spreading equipment (such as dribble bars). These apply slurry close to the ground in narrow bands rather than spraying it into the air. This reduces ammonia emissions and odour, improves nutrient retention for crops and lowers the risk of runoff into watercourses.
The full list of items and specifications can be found in the guidance.
Applications for these items are scored based on how much they improve slurry management, the environmental benefits they deliver, and how widely the items are used across the industry.
Preparing to apply
The guidance is available now, so you can decide which items best meet your business needs and start preparing your application.
The updated guidance includes:
- The full list of items, grant amounts and eligibility rules (some items have changed, so double check the specifications)
- The steps to apply
- How applications will be assessed and processed
When you apply, the contact details you enter must match the details registered in the Rural Payments service, so please check your information is up to date.
After the application window closes in late April, all applications will be reviewed and scored. As this is a competitive fund, you may not receive all or any of the funding you apply for. Each theme has its own scoring rules to make sure public money is spent well.
Join Defra’s webinar
Defra will be hosting a webinar on Thursday 12th March at 10.00 am to help people learn more about the offer, including what the fund provides, who is eligible, how to apply, and how applications are assessed. Anyone planning to apply is encouraged to register for the webinar.
Further help & advice
Our Stewardship & Grants team is available to complete and submit both applications and claims for FETF on your behalf. For further help and advice, please contact them on 01981 590514.
Read the full guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/farming-equipment-and-technology-fund-fetf-2026