_How much rural funding am I entitled to? Everything English farmers need to know in 2023

Defra will make more than £168m of funding available through a variety of grants in 2023. If you're looking to take advantage of this rural funding but are confused about where to start, let us guide you.

March 10, 2023

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1. Grants for automation & robotics

What is it and who is it for?
For UK registered businesses leading collaborative industry-led research projects or collaborative experimental development projects that find innovative solutions for automation and robotics.

How much can I get?

Collaborative industry-led research projects: £500,000–£1 million (over 36–48 months)
Collaborative, experimental development projects: £750,000–£1.5 million (over 24–36 months)

Dates
Apply by 15th March 2023.

2. Grants for developing a new technology or service

What is it and who is it for?
For industrial research and experimental development projects that can accelerate the development of new agricultural solutions or be integrated into existing agricultural practices. Projects should help address major challenges and opportunities in at least one of these areas; livestock, plants, novel food production systems, bioeconomy and agroforestry.

Projects must also improve; productivity, the sustainability and environmental impact of farming, progression towards net zero emissions, and resilience (e.g. helping farms deal with input stresses or threats from pests).

How much can I get?
£3–£5 million.

Dates
Apply by 19th April 2023.

3. Grants for equipment to support productivity and slurry management

What is it and who is it for?
A grant to help farmers use less inputs, reduce emissions and cut waste. You can apply if your business is in England and you're a farmer (whether a tenant or landowner), horticulturist, forestry owner, or a contractor carrying out services for any of the aforementioned.

How much can I get?
£1,000–£25,000.

Dates
Apply by 4th April 2023.

4. Grants to support tree health

What is it and who is it for?
You can get grants for: larch trees with Phytophthora ramorum, spruce trees affected by Ips typographus, sweet chestnut trees with Phytophthora ramorum or sweet chestnut blight, oak trees with oak processionary moth, and/or ash trees with ash dieback.

The Forestry Commission will help with identification of particular pests or diseases. The trees or woodlands you manage must be in one of these regions of England: North-west, West Midlands, South-east, London.

How much can I get?
Amounts vary. More information can be found on the specific grant pages:

Larch, spruce and sweet chestnut
Ash with ash dieback
Oak with oak processionary moth
Restocking trees

You can also apply for a one-off payment to support the removal of trees infected with specific diseases, or the restocking of woodland after felling due to a tree health issue.

5. Grants to fund yearly vet visits

What is it and who is it for?
Livestock keepers can get funding for a vet to visit their farm and carry out a health and welfare review of eligible livestock. Funding will be available for 3 years, after which it will be reviewed. To be eligible to apply, you must have one of the following: 11+ beef cattle, 11+ dairy cattle, 21+ sheep or 51+ pigs.

How much can I get?
£684 for pigs, £436 for sheep, £522 for beef cattle, and £372 for dairy cattle.

6. Grants to support farming in protected landscapes

What is it and who is it for?
For farmers and land managers in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), National Parks and the Broads. Grants will support nature recovery; mitigation of the impacts of climate change; opportunities for people to discover, enjoy and understand the landscape and its cultural heritage; and protection/improvement of the landscape.

How much can I get?
You could get up to 100% of the costs of a project if you won't make a commercial gain from it. If you'll benefit commercially from a project, then we'll fund a proportion of the costs.

Dates
Apply by 2025.

7. Grants to improve the management of woodlands

What is it and who is it for?
A one-off payment to create a 10-year Woodland Management Plan that complies with the UK Forestry Standard. Your plan must be approved by the Forestry Commission before you can apply for ongoing payments to deliver it.

Dates
You can apply for this one-off payment at any time of the year.