The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) – a complete guide for applicants

The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) is expected to be the last round of the fund in its current form and we expect the high demand to continue.

The FETF will be open for a six-week period from Tuesday 17 March to midday Tuesday 28 April, with a pot of £50m available. In total, there are 290 items across three themes, with the largest number of items under the animal health and welfare theme:

• Farm productivity - £20m funding - 70 items
• Animal health and welfare - £20m funding - 203 items
• Slurry management - £10m - 17 items

There is a full list of each theme and the items offered here which applicants can review. Funding can be given for a range of items including cover crop rollers, blinds for livestock housing and umbilical hose reelers for slurry applications.

Separate applications are needed for each theme. The FETF is typically a competitive scheme, with allocation of funds based on application scores. Further information on this process is given below.

Within each theme, grants of £1,000 - £25,000 are available to support funding of a range of items as specified. Each applicant can apply for up to £75,000 in grant funding (£25,000 for farm productivity, £25,000 for animal health and welfare and £25,000 for slurry management).

For determining payments under the FETF, Defra has calculated an average cost of each item. Funding will be paid at either 40% or 50% of the average cost of the item. The exception to this is when the actual cost an applicant will pay is less than the average cost calculated by Defra. In this case applicants will be paid a grant amount of 40% or 50% the actual cost paid for the item. Under each item listed, Defra provide both their average expected cost and the grant amount based on a specific quantity of the item.

Members should note that the whole investment cost must be funded by the applicant in full before claiming back the grant funding, which can take several months.

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) will write to applicants with an explanation should their application be unsuccessful.

To apply for the FETF, applicants will need to be a farmer, horticulturalist, forestry owner, or a contractor carrying out services to farmers, horticulturalists or forestry owners. Applicants who have received funds from previous rounds of the FETF or Countryside Productivity Small Grants Scheme can also apply. The Animal Health and Welfare theme can only be used for:

• Beef cattle
• Dairy Cattle
• Sheep
• Pigs
• Laying chickens (including rearing and breeding farms)
• Broiler chickens (including rearing and breeding farms)

Applicants who left farming under the Lump Sum Exit Scheme are unable to access FETF unless they have continued as a contractor. Applicants must be registered with the RPA.

Defra has published webpages for the FETF providing a comprehensive list of items under each, outlining the specifications for each item, average cost of each item, grant value of each item, and item score. Each piece of equipment must, as a minimum, meet the specifications outlined. All items must be new or ex display (there are certain conditions on ex display items which can be found on the FETF guidance). Further guidance can be found in the guidance published by Defra which applicants should review prior to submitting an application.

There is a wider list of prohibitions on items that will not qualify for funding within the guidance, including items already purchased, items received through another scheme, home built items and items not expected to last five years.

For the animal health and welfare theme, items are only available for the following livestock: beef cattle, dairy cattle, sheep, pigs, laying chickens and broiler chickens.

There have, in the past, been supply chain issues as a result of FETF funding. Defra asks applicants to check the availability of items with suppliers as part of the application process. Importantly, they typically ask that items are not purchased or ordered before an application is made. However, under certain conditions, it is possible to reserve items with a refundable deposit to reduce possible supply issues. Applicants should review the FETF guidance if considering this option.

Funding allocation is managed through a scoring matrix, which varies by theme.

The RPA will score each application by theme and check for eligibility; however, applicants are encouraged to score their own application. Funding is allocated based on the total score under each theme within an application. Funding for each of the three grant themes will be allocated starting with the highest scoring application and then working through the following applications from highest to lowest until the total funding for that theme has been used up.

Pre-application

• Check your personal record in Rural Payments to ensure it has the correct permission level (either “make legal changes” or “full permission”) to submit an FETF submission. An agent can be given permission to make this application on behalf of an applicant.
• Applicants will need to be registered on the Farming Investment Fund service. Applications are managed through this service.
• Ensure you check specifications for each item. There have been some minor changes to items offered compared to 2025, as well as some changing to specification wording. Applications should review these prior to submitting an application to ensure they meet compliance.
• Applicants can apply for items that they may have received funding for in previous FETF rounds, although RPA will ask for an explanation of why the funding is required again.
• An applicant can only apply for funding under one item, even if a single piece of equipment meets the specifications for two or more distinct items. They cannot receive funding twice for the same equipment. For example, Defra explains that if you purchase a yield monitoring device that also includes variable rate control functionality, you may apply either for the yield monitoring item or the variable rate controller item — not both.

Application process

• Applications must be submitted by midday on Tuesday 28 April 2026. Separate applications will need to be submitted if an applicant is applying for separate themes (i.e. one application for the Animal Health and Welfare theme and another for the Slurry Management theme).
• Applicants should receive an acknowledgement of application being received within 24 hours of applying.
• If an application is withdrawn after being submitted, a second application under the same theme cannot be submitted.
• If the application is successful, the RPA will send a Grant Funding Agreement (GFA). A separate GFA will be sent if an applicant is successful in more than one FETF theme. Acceptance of a GFA will be through the Farming Investment Fund service, with deadlines for acceptance outlined in the GFA.
• Grant payments must be claimed by midday Wednesday 20 January 2027. A separate claim will need to be submitted for each GFA, after all items have been paid for and received.

For any other queries, please contact Jack Chivers at jack.chivers@cla.org.uk.

Guidance for applying for FETF: Apply for the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) 2026 - GOV.UK

FETF Farming Blog Post: Farming Equipment and Technology Fund 2026: guidance now available – The Farming Blog

FETF Scheme Items: Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) 2026 - GOV.UK

Farming Investment Fund Service: Farming Investment Fund service

Claiming FETF grant payment: Claim your Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) 2026 grant payment - GOV.UK