Success at Royal Highland Show 2022 for Hutton science

"The Royal Highland Show provides us with a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate that the science we do has purpose"

After a two-year enforced hiatus, the James Hutton Institute’s return to the Royal Highland Show was a success: a steady stream of visitors visited the marquee including farmers, research partners and families, as well as a significant number of UK and Scottish politicians and elected representatives.

The Institute’s cutting-edge research was on display throughout all the exhibits and this year saw the addition of a cinema room and virtual landscape theatre. Topics covered included, biodiversity, agritech, agroforestry, virtual reality, land use, barley research and soft fruit breeding, with an overarching emphasis on net-zero carbon emissions. The Hutton marquee also featured eye-catching displays from Intelligent Growth Solutions, Liberty Produce, Dandelion and SEFARI.

The Institute hosted its traditional James Hutton Reception on Show Thursday, featuring a keynote address by Minister Malcolm Offord, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland. 

Best Soil in Show, an initiative in partnership with NFUS, was relaunched on Show Friday, where farmers send in their soils for analysis and to highlight the importance of healthy soils.

The event was attended by Màiri McAllan MSP, Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Minister; and Martin Kennedy, NFU Scotland president.

On the initiative, Ms McAllan said: “Soils are one of Scotland’s natural assets - entire ecosystems depend on it and it is a key part of the success of our food and drink sector and a crucial sink for greenhouse gases.

“These awards demonstrate good practices in soil management. The Best Soil in Show award recognises the efforts of farmers and land managers in managing their soils skilfully, now and in the future.”

Over the course of the Show, the Hutton marquee hosted visits by high-profile politicians and policymakers, including George Eustice MP, Environment Secretary; Douglas Ross MSP, leader of the Scottish Conservatives; Claire Adamson MSP; and Under Secretary of State, Iain Stewart MP.

Genuine interest in our work was very much in evidence from all our visitors, as our staff representing a range of disciplines and expertise engaged and explained their work and carried out demonstrations whilst showcasing an impressive array of technology used in our scientific research and delivery. The Institute also reached thousands via social media during the event.

Professor Colin Campbell, Chief Executive of the James Hutton Institute, said: “The Royal Highland Show provides us with a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate that the science we do has purpose.

"Through engaging with our many visitors, we can inform, educate and show the complexities of, and potential solutions for; securing our food supply in the future.”