Poultry News
  • Production
    • Broiler Production
    • Ducks
    • Egg Production
    • Game
    • Hatching
    • Housing
    • Turkeys
  • Processing
  • Business & Politics
    • Business
    • Economics
    • EU & Politics
    • Marketing
    • People
    • Training & Education
  • Welfare
    • Environment
    • Food Safety
    • Vet & Medication
    • Welfare
  • Feed
  • Genetics
  • New Products
  • Magazines
    • June 2025
    • 2025 Innovation supplement
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Feed and Nutrition supplement
    • February 2025
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • 2024 Building for the Future supplement
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Poultry Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • 2024 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    • June 2024
    • 2024 Innovation supplement
    • Pig & Poultry Fair 2024
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • March 2024
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • Processing Equipment Supplement – Nov 2023
    • October 2023
    • Building Supplement – Sept 2023
    • September 2023
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Events
    • National Egg and Poultry Awards
    • Poultry Fair
    • Webinars
Twitter LinkedIn
  • FREE Email Newsletters
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
Twitter LinkedIn
Podcast
Poultry News
  • Production
    • Broiler Production
    • Ducks
    • Egg Production
    • Game
    • Hatching
    • Housing
    • Turkeys
  • Processing
  • Business & Politics
    • Business
    • Economics
    • EU & Politics
    • Marketing
    • People
    • Training & Education
  • Welfare
    • Environment
    • Food Safety
    • Vet & Medication
    • Welfare
  • Feed
  • Genetics
  • New Products
  • Magazines
    1. June 2025
    2. 2025 Innovation supplement
    3. May 2025
    4. April 2025
    5. March 2025
    6. 2025 Feed and Nutrition supplement
    7. February 2025
    8. January 2025
    9. December 2024
    10. November 2024
    11. October 2024
    12. September 2024
    13. 2024 Building for the Future supplement
    14. August 2024
    15. 2024 Poultry Health supplement
    16. July 2024
    17. 2024 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    18. June 2024
    19. 2024 Innovation supplement
    20. Pig & Poultry Fair 2024
    21. May 2024
    22. April 2024
    23. March 2024
    24. February 2024
    25. January 2024
    26. December 2023
    27. November 2023
    28. Processing Equipment Supplement – Nov 2023
    29. October 2023
    30. Building Supplement – Sept 2023
    31. September 2023
    Featured

    Poultry Business – June 2025 issue

    By Chloe RyanJune 9, 2025
    Recent

    Poultry Business – June 2025 issue

    June 9, 2025

    Poultry Business – 2025 Innovation supplement

    June 9, 2025

    Poultry Business – May 2025 issue

    May 15, 2025
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Events
    • National Egg and Poultry Awards
    • Poultry Fair
    • Webinars
Twitter LinkedIn
Poultry News
News

Government launches £20m fund for sustainable farming tech and robots

Chloe RyanBy Chloe RyanSeptember 30, 20193 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

A challenge, run by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) on behalf of the government, will help farmers to reduce pollution and boost food production through the integrated use of new digital technologies, sensors, artificial intelligence, machine learning and robotics. This investment is necessary to meet the challenge of climate change and get the agricultural sector on a trajectory to achieve net zero emissions by 2040.

Under the latest round of the Transforming Food Production Challenge, £20m grant funding is on offer for future food production systems that have the potential to transform current methods of production by improving sustainability and productivity. The competition opened on 16 September.

Innovative ideas that have won funding under similar previous government schemes include a project to produce a prototype for a soft-fruit picking robot, which would reduce the need for seasonal fruit-picking labour and a project called Tuberscan, which will scan potatoes underground ensuring they can be harvested at the right time.

Peter Kendall, Chair, Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board and Chair, UKRI Transforming Food Production advisory group, said: “Equipping UK agriculture for the coming century of climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing the sector and the application of the latest technology, including robotics and AI is a major part of the way forward. We welcome the government’s current support for innovation in the sector and encourage farmers and other entrepreneurs to look into the offer of funding.”

Katrina Hayter, Challenge Director, Transforming Food Production at UKRI, said: “The UK needs to become more efficient and environmentally sustainable in the food it produces. By harnessing the best of British bright ideas, we can improve productivity, open up new markets and help meet the nation’s ambitious net zero emissions target.

“This competition is a great opportunity to showcase fantastic innovations that will help transform agriculture across the UK.”

The Transforming Food Production challenge would particularly welcome large-scale ambitious and integrated projects to demonstrate the art of the possible in terms of future food production systems.

Two other schemes will also open shortly:

One will invite joint projects from the UK and China with a focus on autonomous technologies such as sensors, systems, vehicles and robotics to enhance productivity and sustainability. These projects will aim to reduce emissions from agriculture, contributing to the target of net zero emissions from agriculture by 2040. The competition will open on 7 October.

The second competition is called Science into Technology and Practice which aims to strengthen ties between farmers, researchers and businesses to develop approaches to improve productivity. It will support projects that will transform food production and opens for application from 28 October.

All of this investment in new resource efficient, low emission production systems is part of the government’s commitment to boost R&D spending to 2.4% of GDP by 2027. The fund helps businesses, researchers and industry to transform farming and meet the needs of a growing population.

Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Previous ArticleGlobal poultry demand likely to increase as African Swine Fever tightens pork markets
Next Article Gressingham Duck in new link up with Naked Wines
Chloe Ryan

Editor of Poultry Business, Chloe has spent the past decade writing about the food industry from farming, through manufacturing, retail and foodservice. When not working, dog walking and reading biographies are her favourite hobbies.

Read Similar Stories

News

UK poultry meat production climbs again

June 25, 20252 Mins Read
News

EU broiler price surpasses €3/kg to new record high

June 25, 20253 Mins Read
News

50,000 Brits sign petition urging supermarkets to crack down on imported eggs

June 24, 20252 Mins Read
Latest News

UK poultry meat production climbs again

June 25, 2025

EU broiler price surpasses €3/kg to new record high

June 25, 2025

50,000 Brits sign petition urging supermarkets to crack down on imported eggs

June 24, 2025
Sponsored Content

Navigating Sustainability in Egg Production: Practical Steps for Producers

June 1, 2025

Maintain stable and continuous coccidiosis control amidst stocking density reductions

November 1, 2024
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Privacy Policy | Cookies Policy | Terms & Conditions

  • Farmers Weekly
  • AA Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • Pig World

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.