Sedgemoor Chamber of Commerce is sharing an important funding opportunity for agricultural businesses, as guidance is now available for the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund 2026 ahead of applications opening on 17 March 2026.
A total of £50 million will be available through the fund to help farmers, growers, foresters and their contractors invest in equipment and technology that can improve efficiency, support animal health and welfare, and strengthen slurry management.
Funding is split across 3 themes:
- £20 million for farm productivity
- £20 million for animal health and welfare
- £10 million for slurry management
Applicants can apply for grants of £1,000 to £25,000 per theme, with the ability to apply across more than one theme up to a combined maximum of £75,000. In total, 290 items are eligible for funding.
The scheme is designed to support practical investment in approved equipment and technology that can cut costs, improve efficiency and help protect profits.
What is covered
The 2026 fund includes support for a wide range of items across the 3 themes.
For farm productivity, examples include weed wipers, rainwater harvesting tanks, camera guided inter-row sprayers and robotic silage pushers.
For animal health and welfare, eligible items include ventilation equipment and biosecurity equipment for commercial farmers keeping pigs, sheep, dairy cows, beef cattle, laying hens or broilers.
For slurry management, the fund includes support for items such as robotic slurry collectors, flow-rate monitoring equipment and low-emission spreading equipment.
Important changes this year
Defra has confirmed several changes for this round:
- Some items have been added and others removed, so applicants should 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 service has been removed, so contact details must now match those registered with the Rural Payments service
This will also be the final standalone round of FETF in its current form, with the strongest elements of the scheme expected to be brought together into a new grant structure from 2027.
Prepare now
Guidance is available now on GOV.UK so businesses can:
- Review the full list of eligible items
- Check grant amounts and specifications
- Understand how applications will be assessed
- Make sure their Rural Payments contact details are up to date
As the fund is competitive, businesses may not receive all or any of the funding they apply for, so early preparation is strongly encouraged.
Webinar for applicants
Defra and the Rural Payments Agency will host a webinar on Thursday 12 March at 10am to explain what funding is available, what has changed this year, how to apply, how applications are assessed, and to answer questions.
Sedgemoor Chamber of Commerce encourages eligible farming and land-based businesses to review the guidance now and get ready before the application window opens on 17 March 2026.
