On 30 October 2017, the Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, announced the opening of a new grants scheme that will give farmers and food producers a £40 million productivity boost.
Under the scheme, grants will be available to help livestock, diary, arable and horticultural farmers improve farm productivity through investing in new technology such as robotics, to reduce cost or improve product quality. The funding can be used on diverse investments, from robotic milking machines to green technology.
The scheme also offers funds for farmers and food processors to invest in new equipment and machinery to improve the processing of milk, meat and fruit.