Objectives:
- Invest up to £12.5 million in mid-stage precision breeding projects for arable and horticultural crops.
- Unlock benefits of precision breeding to develop ambitious new solutions for sustainable and productive farming.
- Align with Defra’s targets and the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023.
- Support projects that benefit farmers or growers in England.
- Encourage innovation to improve crop yield, resilience to pests, diseases, climate change, photosynthesis, nutritional value, shelf life, and reduce allergens/toxins.
Target Beneficiaries:
- UK registered businesses of any size including sole traders, partnerships, and active farming, growing or forestry businesses.
- Collaborations must include at least one other UK registered organization (business, academic institution, charity, not-for-profit, public sector, or research and technology organization).
- Projects must carry out all work in the UK and exploit results in England.
- Academic institutions cannot lead or work alone.
- Non-UK partners can participate if they bring their own funding.
Application Process:
- Competition opens May 5, 2025, and closes June 25, 2025, 11:00 am.
- Applications submitted via the Innovation Funding Service (IFS).
- Application includes project details, application questions (covering need, approach, team, market, outcomes, risks, value for money), and finances.
- Projects must have total eligible costs between £1 million and £2.5 million and last up to 36 months.
- Projects must start by January 1, 2026, and end by December 31, 2028.
- Lead organization must be a UK business; collaboration required.
- Assessment by independent experts; shortlisted applicants may be interviewed.
- Funding awarded as grants with varying percentages based on organization size (up to 70% for micro/small, 60% medium, 50% large businesses).
Key Features:
- Focus on precision breeding techniques as defined by the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023.
- Projects must demonstrate clear benefits to farmers/growers in England.
- Portfolio approach to fund a variety of projects across technologies and markets.
- Excludes projects duplicating existing UK publicly funded projects or related to animals, forestry, medicinal/pharmaceutical crops, circular economy, or energy production.
- Encourages dissemination and knowledge exchange to increase market readiness.
- Accessibility and inclusion support available for applicants with disabilities or long-term conditions.
- Compliance with subsidy control and UK sanctions required.
- Detailed project management, risk mitigation, and value-for-money justification required.
- Support available from Innovate UK Business Growth service and Innovate UK Business Connect for partnership building.
This fund is part of Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme, delivered in partnership with Innovate UK, aiming to create a more productive, sustainable, and low-carbon agrifood sector in England.
