Guidance

Farming Investment Fund

Information about funding for farmers, foresters, growers and contractors about grants for investing in new technology, equipment and infrastructure

From:
Rural Payments Agency
Published
16 November 2021
Last updated
1 December 2023 — See all updates

Applies to England

The first stage of the application process, the online checker, for the Slurry Infrastructure grant Round 2 is now available. The online checker will close at 11:59pm on 17 January 2024.

The Calf Housing for Health and Welfare grant online checker is now closed. Guidance on the next stages of the application process is available.

The Water Management Grant Round 2 online checker is now closed. Guidance on what the grant will fund and how to apply is available.

Slurry Infrastructure grant – stage 1 of the application process is now complete. Guidance on how to apply and the information you’ll need to support your application is now available.

Adding Value grant: applicants invited by RPA can now submit a full application.

The Farming Investment Fund (FIF) provides grants to improve productivity, animal health and welfare and bring environmental benefits. FIF is made up of 2 separate funds:

  • Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (for grants between £1,000 and £25,000)

  • Farming Transformation Fund (for grants between £25,000 and £500,000)

Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) 2023

The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund provides grants for equipment and technology that supports improvements in productivity, slurry management and animal health and welfare.

The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund 2023 is now closed for applications.

For general information about the scheme, you can read the FETF 2023 manual.

For further information about support to improve animal health and welfare, you can read a summary of the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway.

If you’ve received a Grant Funding Agreement for Animal Health and Welfare, you should check that your chosen items are available with your supplier and claim your money by midnight on 5 December 2023.

Claims for Productivity and Slurry have closed.

Farming Equipment and Technology Fund Round 1

The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund Round 1 is closed for applications.

FETF contact details

For any questions about your claim, email FETFEnquiries@rpa.gov.uk or call the RPA helpline on 03000 200 301 and select the option for the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund.

Farming Transformation Fund (FTF)

This fund provides grants towards large capital items to help businesses improve productivity, profitability, animal health and welfare and environmental sustainability. There are 5 grants:

Slurry Infrastructure grant Round 2

The Slurry Infrastructure grant Round 2 is available to pig, beef and dairy farmers whose farming systems produce slurry. You can apply for a grant to improve or expand your slurry storage capacity and to cover your stores. You must use the grant to meet the grant storage requirements (6 months for beef and dairy, 8 months for pigs).

The grant is competitive. If the grant is oversubscribed RPA will prioritise projects that have the greatest environmental outcomes. You can apply for a grant between £25,000 and £250,000. 

The first stage of the application process, the online checker, is now open for applications. If you’re interested in making an application, please read the Slurry Infrastructure grant Round 2 guidance which will explain the information you’ll need to provide.

The online checker will close at 11:59pm on 17 January 2024.

Slurry Infrastructure grant Round 1

Stage 1 of the application process is now complete. RPA informed applicants of the outcome of their applications at the end of March 2023. 

If we invited you to submit a full application for your project, you must submit your forms and supporting evidence by 11:59pm on 28 June 2024. 

Before you submit a full application for your project, read the guidance about the Slurry Infrastructure grant.

Calf Housing for Health and Welfare grant

The Calf Housing for Health and Welfare (CHHW) grant is available to the beef and dairy sectors. The grant aims to improve the health and welfare of calves (up to 6 months old) by providing a good ambient environment and facilitating social contact through pair or group housing. The grant is part of the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway. 

The grant will be competitive, so RPA will prioritise calf housing projects that have the biggest impact on animal health and welfare and have considered innovation and environmental outcomes. 

The CHHW online checker is now closed. 

For further information about support to improve animal health and welfare, you can read a summary of the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway.

What happens next

The first stage of the application process, the online checker, has now closed. RPA is assessing all applications received and will email applicants with a decision.  

You can read about the next stages of the application process in the Calf Housing for Health and Welfare grant guidance.

Water Management Grant Round 2

Arable or horticultural businesses in England can apply for funding for projects that improve:

  • productivity
  • water sustainability
  • the environment

You can apply for a grant of between £35,000 and £500,000 per applicant business.

The grant is competitive, so RPA will score your application against the funding priorities and award a grant to the highest scoring applications.

The Water Management Grant online checker is now closed. RPA is assessing the online checker applications received.

Find out what the Water Management Grant Round 2 will fund.

Water Management Grant Round 1

If we invited you to submit a full application for your project, the deadline for submitting applications was 30 November 2022.

You can find information about the grant in the Water Management Grant manual and the How to fill in a Water Management Grant full application.

Adding Value grant

The Adding Value grant is available for growers or producers to add value to eligible agricultural products after they have been harvested or reared. It is competitive, so the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) will score your application based on merit. RPA will award a grant to the strongest applications. You can apply for a grant between £25,000 and £300,000.

Stage 1 of the application process is complete.

Applicants invited by RPA can now submit a full application.

The success of your full application will depend on the number and value of applications we receive.

Submitting a full application

If we invited you to submit a full application for your project, you must submit your forms and supporting evidence by 31 January 2024.

Before you submit a full application for your project, read the guidance about the Adding Value grant.

Improving Farm Productivity grant

The Improving Farm Productivity online checker closed on 16 March 2022.

If your project scored highly enough, you’ll have been invited to submit a full application. The success of your full application will depend on the number and value of applications we receive. You can apply for a grant between £35,000 and £500,000.

What happens next

For the Water Management Grant Round 2, use the online checker to find out if you can apply for this grant. The checker opened on 19 April 2023 and will close at 11.59pm on 12 July 2023.

If we invited you to submit a full application for a Slurry Infrastructure grant, you must submit your forms and supporting evidence by 11:59pm on 28 June 2024.

For Improving Farm Productivity and Adding Value grants, RPA will assess your full application. If it’s successful, you’ll get a Grant Funding Agreement (GFA) and can begin to work on the project.

RPA will let you know by email if your application did not score highly enough.

Submitting a full application

If we invited you to submit a full application for your project, the deadline was 14 September 2022 for Tranche 1 applications and 31 January 2023 for Tranche 2 applications.

Information on the grant can be found in the Improving Farm Productivity grant manual and the How to apply for an Improving Farm Productivity grant.

Manage a successful FTF project

If your full application is successful, you’ll receive a GFA. Use the guidance ‘Managing a successful Farming Transformation Fund project’ to help you meet your project’s objectives.

FTF contact details

Email FTF@rpa.gov.uk or call the RPA helpline on 03000 200 301 and select the option for the Farming Transformation Fund.

Published 16 November 2021
Last updated 1 December 2023 + show all updates

  1. Guidance updated as the Calf Housing for Health and Welfare online checker has now closed.

  2. Updated the Slurry Infrastructure grant Round 2 information to confirm that the online checker is now open until 17 January 2024.

  3. Page updated to show that claims for Productivity and Slurry have closed.

  4. Slurry Infrastructure grant Round 2 guidance is now available.

  5. Removed outdated information about the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF).

  6. Updated to confirm the Calf Housing for Health and Welfare online checker is now open until 30 November 2023.

  7. Linked to the new Calf Housing for Health and Welfare grant guidance, and updated to reflect that the acceptance deadline for Productivity and Slurry grants has now passed.

  8. Updated to explain that Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) Animal Health and Welfare decisions are now being sent to applicants, and that all FETF applications are now closed.

  9. Guidance updated to confirm that the Water Management Grant Round 2 online checker is now closed.

  10. Added information to explain the upcoming Calf housing for health and welfare grant.

  11. Updated to confirm that the Animal Health and Welfare portal is now closed for applications.

  12. Added information for Productivity and Slurry applicants who have received a Grant Funding Agreement, explaining when they need to accept and claim their money.

  13. Updated to confirm the opening of the Water Management grant Round 2 online checker.

  14. Page updated for the closure of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund Productivity and Slurry portal at midday on 4 April 2023.

  15. Updated with information about the Water Management grant Round 2 which will open shortly.

  16. Updated to announce the opening of the FETF 2023 Animal Health and Welfare portal.

  17. Information has been added to confirm the opening of the FETF 2023 Productivity and Slurry online application portal.

  18. Information added for the opening of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund grant in 2023

  19. Stage 1 of the slurry infrastructure grant application process is now complete. The deadline for tranche 2 applications for the improving farm productivity grant has passed.

  20. The Slurry Infrastructure grant online checker is now open until 31 January 2023. Water Management grant tranche 2 applications are now closed.

  21. Dates for the opening of the slurry infrastructure grant have been updated, along with information about deadlines for other grants.

  22. Added date for planning permission or abstraction licences for Tranche 2 Water Management Grant applications.

  23. Applicants invited by RPA can now submit a full application for an Adding Value grant.

  24. Edited to confirm the closure of the Adding Value online checker at midnight on 21 July 2022.

  25. Updated the FETF section to prompt grant agreement holders to submit their claim for payment.

  26. Added guidance on managing a successful Farming Transformation Fund project.

  27. Publication of guidance about the Slurry Infrastructure grant ahead of applications opening.

  28. Latest news edited to announce the opening of the Adding Value checker on 9 June 2022.

  29. Guidance published for the Adding Value grant for farmers and growers to add buy equipment that will add value to agricultural products.

  30. Edited to confirm the closure of the IFP online checker.

  31. The online checker for Improving Farm Productivity will close at midnight on 16 March 2022.

  32. Edited to confirm the closure of the IFP online checker.

  33. Deadline to accept FETF Grant Funding Agreement extended to 1 April 2022.

  34. Farming and Equipment Technology Fund information updated with details of how to accept a grant funding agreement.

  35. Edited to announce the opening of the Farming Transformation Fund Improving Farm Productivity grant.

  36. Edited to confirm that the Farming Transformation Fund Water Management grant online checker closed on 12 January 2022

  37. Edited - Round 1 of the FETF closed for applications on 7 January 2022.

  38. Link added to the Farming Transformation Fund Improving Farming Productivity grant manual.

  39. First published.

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