Cereals at Diddly Squat: my first big industry event

Eight weeks ago, I started working at The James Hutton Institute, specifically within Hutton Scientific Services (HSS), the commercial arm of the Institute. Seven weeks later, I found myself attending one of the biggest events in the agricultural calendar: Cereals. And what a week it was.

I joined HSS through MDS (Management Development Services), a company that recruits graduates and places them into three or four different member companies across the food and fresh produce industry over two years. It’s a fantastic route for graduates to gain exposure to different parts of the sector, gain real hands-on experience and understand just how complex and interconnected the industry really is, while also equipping them for a future career within the field.

Fortunately for me, this pathway led directly to the opportunity to attend Cereals.

Why we were there

Attending Cereals is an important opportunity for the Hutton as it brings together researchers and industry professionals, providing a unique platform to connect scientific work with the practical needs of farming and agriculture, and to demonstrate how current research can inform and shape future opportunities.

I joined the team from the Hutton’s International Barley Hub (IBH). Our stand featured ten plots showcasing different barley lines and camelina, alongside assessments of soil health and crop performance.

The display highlighted a range of ongoing work, from barley breeding and sustainable crop production to enhancing the barley circular bio economy and the potential of camelina as a sustainable aviation fuel crop.

It was great to see people engaging directly with the science and asking questions about how it all works in practice.

Experiencing Cereals 2026: my first impressions and responsibilities

At first, it was slightly overwhelming. Coming from a non-agricultural background with absolutely no idea what to expect, the sheer scale and complexity of everything happening at once was striking. Rows of stands, live demonstrations, trial plots, and some of the largest and most advanced machinery I’ve ever seen in person, all in one place, made it a lot to take in.

But this made my role at the event even more exciting. I was mainly responsible for capturing as much content as possible to put on our social media channels. This gave me a brilliant opportunity to explore the full site properly, talk to exhibitors, and really understand what was being showcased.

It also meant I was able to sample a lot of the food on offer, because you can’t go to an event like this and not try as much as possible.

One of the standout things for me was just how much variety the event had. One minute you might be watching a live machinery demo, then the Fittest Farmer competition, and the next, discussing barley varieties and crop genetics.

The scale of the machinery was particularly striking. Even without a background in agriculture, it’s hard not to be impressed by the size and engineering behind modern farming equipment.

A surprise highlight: Clarkson’s Farm in real life

When I was first told I would be attending Cereals, I must admit I was very excited. As a big fan of Clarkson’s Farm (although admittedly I’m only two seasons in), I was quietly hoping to spot some familiar faces – and fortunately, I did.

Jeremy Clarkson walked right past our stand, and I managed to capture it on video.

I also caught a few glimpses of Kaleb, although he always seemed to be heading somewhere at speed, so I never quite managed to get a photo.

It was a fun highlight of the week and one that will certainly stick in my mind.

Clarkson spotted: mission accomplished

Key takeaways

Reflecting on the week, there are a few things I’m taking away from the experience.

Firstly, I have gained a much deeper understanding of the agricultural industry. Over the course of five days, being fully involved in the event provided a far clearer picture of how broad, complex, and innovative the sector really is.

Secondly, I have a much greater appreciation of what goes into organising large-scale events like Cereals. Even helping set up our stand during the first couple of days highlighted the level of planning, coordination, and teamwork required before, during, and after the event.

On a more personal note, working alongside experts in their field and experiencing an event of this scale was incredibly rewarding. As the week progressed, I became more confident engaging with colleagues and industry professionals, allowing me to contribute more to discussions and deepen my understanding of the work being showcased. I particularly enjoyed spending time with people from across the wider business, building connections with colleagues from different areas and gaining a broader perspective on the range of work taking place across the Institute.

And finally, after spending time at Diddly Squat, I’ve gained a renewed sense of responsibility to finish Clarkson’s Farm.

Final thoughts

Overall, Cereals was an experience I will remember for a long time. For only my first placement, being part of such a large and well-established industry event already feels like a major highlight of my MDS journey.

It was equal parts overwhelming, exciting, educational, and enjoyable, and probably one of the best possible introductions I could have had to the world of agricultural science and industry.

If this is what the first couple of months on the programme look like, I’m very much looking forward to what comes next.

Blog by Hannah Messer, MDS trainee, The James Hutton Institute

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this blog post are the views of the author, and not an official position of the Hutton or funder.