Guidance

Improving Farm Productivity grant round 2: equipment definitions and requirements 

Updated 18 June 2024

Applies to England

Only invited applicants can apply for round 2 of the Improving Farm Productivity grant.

Find out about other grants and funds. 

Find out the type of equipment you can buy and what it needs to be able to do to receive grant funding. 

Read about the different technology the grant will and will not support.  

Robotic technology 

A robotic system is one that: 

• operates without human intervention 
• senses its environment  
• carries out calculations to make decisions 
• performs actions in the production of agricultural and horticultural produce to the point of harvest  

For equipment to be considered robotic and therefore eligible for funding, the equipment has to perform all 4 of the following functions in a continuous loop. These are: 

• sensing the environment in which it operates  
• understanding its environment from what it has sensed.  
• planning what it needs to do from what it has understood.  
• controlling the operation/process it has decided needs to be done, (including controlling of actuators which may or may not be part of the eligible project costs)   

Automatic technology  

An automatic system is one that undertakes repetitive tasks with a degree of human intervention.  

For equipment to be considered automatic and therefore eligible for funding, the equipment must be capable of performing at least 2 of the following criteria:  

• sensing the environment in which it operates  
• understanding its environment from what it has sensed  
• planning what it needs to do from what it has understood  
• controlling the operation or process it has decided needs to be done, (including controlling of actuators which may or may not be part of the eligible project costs)   

Harvesting technology  

Harvesting technology can be either robotic or automatic.   

To optimise productivity, a robotic harvesting machine must use computer vision or sensors to detect, select and harvest individual fruit, vegetables or plants in the crops, leaving the remainder of the crop to be harvested later.  

The equipment must be on its own autonomous platform and free from human intervention.    

Requirements for robotic equipment are:  

• cameras, tactile sensors, ability to undertake harvest of the crop without human intervention   
• the ability to select, pick and place individual harvested items where necessary  
• robotic equipment for in field trimming and grading can be included if it involves no human intervention to control the process  

Harvesting equipment that requires human intervention to operate is not eligible as robotic equipment but could be considered as automatic equipment.  

Items which are not eligible include: 

• monthly or annual subscriptions and licences for software needed to operate the equipment.   
• the purchase of conventional tractors to propel equipment.   

For automatic harvesting equipment to be eligible, it needs to undertake at least 2 of the required criteria. For example, a harvesting rig which cuts and grades the individual plants ready for dispatch with minimum operator input.   

The following are not eligible for funding because they are considered standard agricultural equipment (this list is not exhaustive):  

• combine harvesters 
• maize harvesters 
• potato harvesters  
• sugar beet harvesters 

Weeding technology  

Weeding technology can be either robotic or automatic.  

Robotic equipment has the ability to either: 

• identify and treat individual weeds while leaving the crop untreated 
• identify individual crop plants and remove the unwanted plants (weeds) around the crop plant.  

The equipment must be on its own autonomous platform and free from human intervention.  

The robotic equipment must:  

• have camera or satellite guided systems, or both, that identify the crop plants and treat the weeds between the plants in a crop row  
• photograph and analyse the plants, recognise the growing crop from the weeds and activate and control the weeding tools   

Items which are not eligible include:  

• monthly or annual subscriptions and licences for software needed to operate the equipment  
• the purchase of conventional tractors to propel the equipment  

Eligible automatic weeding equipment needs to undertake at least 2 of the required criteria. For example, be able to distinguish between the crop and weeds and automatically adjust the hoes to remove only the weeds.   

Robotic spraying technology  

Only robotic spraying technology is eligible.

Robotic spraying technology is eligible if the equipment has the ability to identify and treat individual plants. It must accurately place chemicals on individual plants while leaving the remainder of the crop untreated.  

For example, to apply: 

• herbicides or pesticides to individual weeds or diseased plant 
• fertilisers and trace elements to individual plants in the growing crop 

Eligible robotic spraying equipment must:  

• be on its own autonomous platform and free from human intervention  
• have camera or satellite guided systems, or both, with the ability to photograph and analyse plants, recognise the growing crop from weeds and activate the targeted spray application   

Items which are not eligible include:  

• tractors or self-propelled sprayers requiring an operator to drive   

• monthly or annual subscriptions and licences for software needed to operate the equipment  

• the purchase of conventional tractors and conventional sprayers   

Driverless tractors or platforms  

Only robotic driverless tractors or platforms are eligible.  

Automatic driverless tractors or platforms that navigate fields and undertake farming operations using conventional farming equipment are not eligible.  

Items which are not eligible include: 

• any vehicle requiring an operator to be permanently present on the machine  
• conventional implements for attaching to the automatic driverless tractor or platform  

Voluntary robotic milking system  

Only voluntary robotic milking systems are eligible.  

A voluntary robotic milking system allows the cows free access 24 hours a day. The system undertakes all aspects of the milking process without human intervention, from cleaning the udder, pre-milking, milking and analysis, through to teat dipping after milking.  

Systems which require the cows to be herded (or driven) into the parlour as part of the milking routine are not considered voluntary.  

The focus of this grant is the adoption of robotics so only funds the purchase of the robot.  

Only the following elements of a complete system are eligible for funding: 

• milking stall in which the cow stands 
• robotic arm which cleans the udder and places the cluster on the udder 
• sensors to help place the cluster on the cow 
• milking cluster itself including cluster flush and teat dipping functions 
• real time milk analysis equipment which aids management decisions concerning the health of the cow can be included as part of the robot  

Items which are not eligible include:  

• equipment that would be found in a conventional parlour  
• milk storage tanks 
• milk and vacuum lines 
• vacuum pumps 
• air compressors 
• milk cooling equipment 
• equipment for the storage of reject milk 
• feeding systems including feed storage to supply the robot 
• automated access gates (other than those already integral to the milking robot, designed to stop a second cow from entering while the first cow is being milked) 
• water heaters and plant washing equipment  
• new buildings or conversion of existing buildings, including gates and pens and floor alterations  

Feeding robots  

Only robotic feeding systems are eligible.  

Feeding robots can do one or both of the following without human intervention: 

• mix, transport, and deliver feed to livestock 
• push-up the food to feed barriers without the need of a guided rail system for delivery of food 

Eligible items are the:  

• feeding / feed pusher robot   
• charging station  

Items which are not eligible include:  

• feed storage, and delivery systems to the robot for example hoppers, bins, conveyors and augers   
• alterations to buildings to accommodate the robotic system and feed storage  
• new buildings and yard areas for the storage of feed  
• automatic feeding systems and feed stations, for example, out of parlour feeders, automatic sow feeders, automatic calf feeders, poultry feeding systems, automatic feed delivery systems   

Transplanting technology  

Transplanting technology can be either robotic or automatic.  

Transplanting equipment are systems used for transplanting cuttings, seedlings or plugs into pots or beds (protected crops).  

Robotic equipment must have camera guided systems that are able to do both of the following: 

• identify and analyse individual plant cuttings, seedlings or plugs 
• inform the robot how to pick up the young plants and transplant into trays, pots or beds     

Eligible items are:  

• the transplanter  
• installation costs for the equipment only  

Items which are not eligible include:  

• alterations to existing buildings or the construction of new buildings to accommodate the robot   
• automated tray filling and pot filling equipment and conveyors linking to other processes  
• monthly or annual subscriptions and licences for software needed to operate the equipment  
• the purchase of conventional tractors to propel the equipment   

Eligible automatic transplanters need to undertake at least 2 of the required criteria. For example, a plug transplanting machine able to take plant plugs from a tray and transfer and plant them into plant pots, trays or growing beds with minimal human intervention. 

Slurry robot  

Only robotic equipment is eligible.  

Robotic systems with intelligent software and sensors to allow the robot to navigate independently throughout passageways. It must have built in sensors to avoid harmful contact with livestock. Robotic slurry collectors and robotic slurry pushers are both eligible. 

Eligible items are:  

• the slurry robot  
• charging station  

Items which are not eligible include:  

• automatic slurry scrapers 
• alterations to existing buildings or the construction of new buildings to accommodate the robot  
• monthly or annual subscriptions and licences for software needed to operate the equipment  

Other robotic or automatic technology  

Other robotic or automatic technology will also be considered. If your application is for ‘other robotic or automatic technology’, we’ll assess whether it is eligible at stage 1 of the application process online checker. You may be asked to provide more information.  

You must refer to the definitions of robotic and automatic technologies and meet the list of technology tests detailed in this guidance. 

Advanced ventilation control units  

The advanced ventilation control system will control and monitor ventilation of existing horticultural and livestock buildings. It must monitor and control the ventilation system, reacting to internal humidity, temperature, and either ammonia or CO2 levels. This will be in relation to external weather conditions to optimise the environment for the growing and rearing of plants and animals.  

The system must include a heat recovery system on all ventilation outlets to minimise heat loss, and air scrubbing systems on all ventilation outlets to reduce greenhouse gas and particulate emissions. The air scrubbing system must remove dust and either CO2 or ammonia emissions from ventilation outlets.  

The funding is to support the installation of, or updating of ventilation systems in existing buildings which must include:  

• control units, heat exchangers, and air scrubbers   
• being able to react to external weather conditions. For example, detect the direction of driving rain and close ventilation inlets on that side of the building to prevent rain entering the building while other vents remain open 

Items which are not eligible include: 

• heating units included in the proposed system 
• replacement ventilation fans 
• systems for new build horticultural or new build livestock buildings  

Wavelength specific LED lighting for horticultural crops  

The funding is to support the installation of wavelength specific LED lighting in existing horticultural buildings.  

The wavelength specific LED lights need to be designed to stimulate plant growth by emitting specific wavelengths of light that drives photosynthesis and plant growth. The system of lighting required will be determined by the crop being produced.  

Eligible costs include: 

• LED lights 
• controllers 
• transformers and rectifiers to step the voltage down if the lights work on a low voltage DC system 
• lighting gantries and cabling to control units  

Items which are not eligible include: 

• installation in new build horticultural buildings.  
• non wavelength specific LED lighting for general lighting of buildings  

Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems   

An eligible solar PV system should be mainly for farm power and installed on farm buildings, not on a residential property. The solar energy is stored in a battery or batteries. The systems can be connected to export surplus power back to the National grid.  

Solar panels can be installed on an irrigation reservoir (including the supporting floating cradle), or on farm buildings that are able to support them. It’s your responsibility to make sure that a roof intended to take solar panels, is able to support them.    

Eligible items include: 

• solar PV panels  
• solar batteries  
• inverters  
• utility meter  
• electrical grid connection
• power diverter - redirects excess solar energy to power storage (for example heat stores) 

  Items which are not eligible include: 

• ground base solar panels 
• replacement or reinforcement of roofs 
• construction of farm buildings 
• upgrading of existing solar panels