Food security and rural affairs Dame Angela Eagle has announced a new initiative to support agri-tech businesses.
Making her first speech in the role she was given in prime minister Keir Starmer’s recent reshuffle, the minister said AgriScale is a new pilot programme that will support agri-tech companies to “address specific manufacturing challenges on their start-up to scale-up journey”.
The pilot is a new cross-government partnership, involving the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Innovate UK, the High Value Manufacturing Catapult partners, the Manufacturing Technology Centre, and Warwick Manufacturing Group.
“This is an exciting time for the agri-tech sector. The prize is greater growth, greater profitability for our farmers, and resilient food systems in this volatile era,” Dame Angela said in her speech the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in London.
“Join us, and the sector, to maximise that growth opportunity, invest and partner with our SMEs and international businesses located in the UK. Let’s work together to build a sustainable future for our food and farming systems.”
AgriScale launches in October.