Grant or payment · England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland
Innovative Farmers field labs
Funding for groups of farmers to run their own on-farm trials with a researcher and a coordinator.
- From
- Innovative Farmers (Soil Association)
- How much
- Small labs usually under £4,000; large labs £4,000 to £10,000; Field Lab Learning Network up to £18,000.
- Who can apply
- Groups with at least 2 commercial farms running trials (average 5), plus a researcher and coordinator.
What you’ll need
- A trial idea
- At least one other farm
- A rough trial budget
How to apply
- Fill in the Field Lab Expression of Interest form
- Email it to [email protected]
- If feasible, complete the full application; review takes up to 3 weeks
Field labs must finish by March 2027 at the latest, so new labs now are short. No application closing date given. The money pays the trial budget, not the farm directly.
Similar schemes
- Growth Guarantee Scheme (government-backed business lending) OpenBritish Business Bank, through accredited lendersThe government guarantees part of a loan, overdraft, asset finance or invoice finance from an accredited lender, which can help a farm business borrow when it might not otherwise get finance.
- Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme OpenScottish Government (R100 programme) · Closes 20 November 2026A voucher towards getting a faster broadband connection installed at a home or business with slow broadband and no faster connection planned.
- Sustainable Agriculture Loan Scheme OpenDevelopment Bank of Wales, for the Welsh GovernmentLow-interest loans for on-farm renewable energy, energy efficiency and storage, slurry and nutrient management, and farm infrastructure and equipment.
- Workplace Charging Scheme (EV chargepoints) OpenOffice for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), run by DVLA · Closes 31 March 2027A voucher towards buying and fitting electric vehicle chargepoints for staff or farm fleet vehicles. You get a voucher code and give it to an authorised installer, who claims the money.
- 40% first-year allowance Open all yearHMRCDeduct 40% of the cost of new main-rate plant and machinery from profits in the first year, with the rest claimed over later years.
- Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) Open all yearHMRCDeduct the full cost of most machinery and equipment (tractors, kit, many fixtures) from your profits in the year you buy it, so you pay less tax.
Checked against the official pages on 29 October 2026. Sources: 1. Always read the official page before you apply.