Farming Equipment & Technology Fund (FETF) 2025 opening soon.
The Farming Equipment & Technology Fund 2025 has been launched today 07 May 2025.
DEFRA BLOG :- Farming Equipment and Technology Fund 2025: guidance now available – Farming
The guidance for FETF 2025 with the list of eligible items can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/farming-equipment-and-technology-fund-2025
We have published the guidance before opening the application window following feedback so customers can see the items in advance and have time to research the item(s) they want with you.
Some items have been removed, and specifications have changed from those in the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) 2024. This has resulted in some equipment no longer being eligible. It is therefore suggested that you recommend to your customers they should read the guidance, paying particular attention to the specifications, carefully before applying.
FETF 2025 includes 3 themes:
· Productivity
· Slurry
· Animal Health and Welfare (AHW)
Each theme will have its own application window and customers can apply for all three themes if they wish. There is a minimum grant request of £1,000 for each theme. If a customer decided to apply for items under all three themes the minimum grant request for each theme would be £1,000, £3,000 in total.
Not all costs associated with an item are eligible. The scheme does not pay for installation costs, delivery charges some optional extras or annual subscriptions for software. To avoid further requests for clarification on invoices we require itemised invoices detailing the cost of each of these where applicable. [PR1] [JK2] [RP3]
Key changes to productivity
The maximum grant amount that can be applied for productivity items is capped at £25,000.
The percentage paid for productivity items is now between 40% and 50% having previously been between 50% and 60%.
A number of productivity items which previously received funding in 2024 have been removed from the list of eligible items for 2025.
Some item specifications have also been amended in recognition of improvements in technology and to align with wider environmental priorities
The productivity theme now has 66 eligible items.
For FETF 2025, customers can increase their application score by 25% if they tell RPA [KJ4] that their SBI has not received or claimed more than a total of £10,000 in total of Productivity and Slurry funding from any previous FETF rounds. This applies to the total funding received from FETF Round 1 (2022) (any items), and FETF 2023 (Productivity and Slurry items) and FETF 2024 (Productivity and Slurry items) rounds, but this does not include any funding from FETF 2023 (Animal Health and Welfare items) or FETF 2024 (Animal Health and Welfare items).
Key changes to Slurry
The maximum grant amount that can be applied for Slurry items is capped at £25,000.
The percentage paid for slurry items is 50%.
Some item specifications have also been amended in recognition of improvements in technology.
There are 17 different eligible items to help improve the collection and spreading of slurry.
Key changes to the Animal Health and welfare
The maximum grant amount that can be applied for AHW items is £25,000.
Some item specifications have also been amended.
The percentage paid for AHW items is 50%.
There are 136 unique animal health and welfare items available in 2025.
Applications for animal health and welfare items are scored on their contribution towards the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway priorities. For FETF 2025, customers can increase their application score by 20% if they can evidence that they’ve discussed their application with a vet. [KJ5]
Refundable Deposits
As per FETF 2024, to help reduce possible supply issues, we continue to allow refundable deposits to be placed prior to receipt of a Grant Funding Agreement. The applicant should agree this with you so the deposit can be refunded if they are not successful due to the competitive nature of the grant. It is entirely at the applicants own risk, should be no more than 50% of the cost of the item excluding VAT and must not have been paid before the launch of the scheme guidance, which is today, the 07 May 2025. The invoice must state “refundable deposit” for that portion of the payment. Please be aware if an applicant places a deposit on an item for more than 50% or before the date of this email, we could reject their whole claim.
Serial Numbers
Serial numbers will not be required for all items. We have made reference in the item specifications where serial numbers will be required before we can process a grant claim. For those that require a serial number we will need photographic evidence of the manufacturers plate or a scanned copy of the relevant page in the owner/installation manuals. If possible, it would be helpful if you could include the serial number on the invoice and remind applicants that they will need to provide this evidence.
Installed items/Follow up Action
To enable payment for most items we require them to be delivered and unpacked however for some items we require these to be installed.
We need to check the below items are installed to ensure they are being used for the purpose they were intended.
|
Grants |
|
|
AHW |
FETF281 – Water heater[JK7] |
|
AHW |
FETF57 – Fixed cattle handling system |
|
AHW |
FETF 70 – Fixed sheep handling system |
|
AHW |
FETF76 – Fixed handling system for pigs |
|
AHW |
FETF221 – perimeter fencing |
|
AHW |
FETF104 – Enclosed piglet creep with heat pad |
|
AHW |
FETF226A – Rubber flooring mats for cattle |
|
AHW |
FETF229A – Flexible cubicle divider |
|
AHW |
FETF234A – Rubber coverings for slatted floors in cattle buildings |
|
AHW |
FETF235A – Automated mobility/body condition scoring system |
|
AHW |
FETF236A – Plastic slats |
|
AHW |
FETF255A – Rubber coverings for slatted floors in pig buildings |
|
AHW |
FETF266A – Nipple drinker system |
|
AHW |
FETF269A – Poultry feed system for split feeding |
|
Productivity |
FETF207 – Air drill for establishing cover crops |
|
Productivity
|
FETF48 – Real time inline forage crop analyser |
|
Productivity
|
FETF220 – Real-time in line grain analyser |
|
Productivity
|
FETF21 – Rainwater harvesting for crop irrigation minimum tank size 5,000L |
|
Productivity
|
FETF22 – Rainwater harvesting for crop irrigation minimum tank size 50,000L |
|
Productivity |
FETF47 – assisted steer system (retrofitted for older tractors) |
|
Productivity |
FETF50 – Retro-fitted Variable rate controller for older seed drills, sprayers and fertiliser spreaders |
|
Slurry [KJ8] |
FETF27 – Fixed slurry separator[JK9] |
|
Slurry |
FETF29 – Real time inline nutrient analysis of slurry
|