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Written question asked by Callum Anderson (Labour) on Friday, 28 August 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 2 September 2026. It was answered by Stephen Morgan (Labour) on Friday, 4 September 2026 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.


Agriculture: Robotics

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the barriers to adoption of agricultural robotics by small and medium-sized farms.

Answer

Defra recognises that small and medium-sized farms can face barriers to adopting any new technology, including high upfront costs, access to finance, skills requirements, uncertainty over returns, connectivity constraints, and integrating new technologies into existing farm businesses. Through the Farming Innovation Programme and ADOPT, Defra is supporting innovation, testing and adoption.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
24342
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Agriculture Farms Small businesses Robotics
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk