From precision-bred hemp to Sunshine Tomatoes: £21.5m to drive farm innovation in England

£21.5m is backing 15 England-wide projects to turn new crops and low-emission farm tech into ready-to-use tools that boost productivity.

At least £21.5 million in new funding will back 15 innovation projects across England to help farms cut emissions, strengthen resilience and boost productivity. 

Delivered through Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme in partnership with Innovate UK, the projects will move cutting-edge research into practical tools farmers can use on the ground – from vitamin-enriched tomatoes and climate-ready hemp. 

Farming Minister Dame Angela Eagle said: 

Innovation is central to a more productive, resilient farming sector. 

This funding will back new ideas farmers can use on the ground to cut methane and fertiliser-related emissions, strengthen crop resilience, and improve nutrition. 

It’s part of our Plan for Change to support rural growth and long-term food security.

‘Sunshine Tomato’ (provitamin D₃): Using precision breeding to create a tomato enriched with provitamin D₃. Building on earlier field trials, it aims to improve nutrition and help tackle vitamin D deficiency. 

Low-emissions fertilisers for dairy: Replacing 50% of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser with biological alternatives to cut nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions, improve soil health and strengthen nutrient management. 

Climate-resilient industrial hemp: Developing high-value hemp varieties better able to cope with changing weather. Because hemp can grow on poorer land, it could offer new income streams from less productive farmland, supporting sustainable food, fibre, and biomaterials. 

Dr Stella Peace, Managing Director at Innovate UK, said:  

Working alongside Defra, Innovate UK is ensuring precision breeding and low emission technologies move swiftly from research into real‑world use, enabling farmers and agri businesses to grow, compete, and unlock new economic opportunities across the UK’s food and farming sector.