A vision of farming's climate-positive future was on display when Scotland's Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon, visited the James Hutton Institute in Dundee this week.

During her visit, Ms Gougeon heard about Hutton plans for a Potato Innovation and Translation Hub in Invergowrie, envisioned as a collaborative partnership of researchers, knowledge brokers and commercial company, which will be a centre for research and translation of innovation to accelerate the adoption of new knowledge and techniques from field to fork.

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The Cabinet Secretary also heard details of the Institute’s Climate-Positive Farming work at Glensaugh Farm, near Laurencekirk, where it takes a transformational approach that achieves net-zero or even negative carbon emissions, while protecting and enhancing natural assets and ensuring long-term financial sustainability of the farm business.

As part of her visit, the Cabinet Secretary toured the Future Farming Hub established by agri-tech company Liberty Produce and Crop Health and Protection (CHAP), as well as Intelligent Growth Solutions’ Crop Research Centre, both located on the Hutton Dundee campus.

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She said: “It is great to get a chance to see some of the innovative work happening right here in Scotland. As we continue to journey to more sustainable farming, we can learn from the measures taken here which could ultimately help us make better use of our land. It’s an exciting road ahead and I’m so proud of all of the hard work that goes into the range of activities happening at the James Hutton Institute campus.”

Chief Executive of the JHI, Professor Colin Campbell, added: “It was a pleasure to meet the Cabinet Secretary and colleagues and acknowledge the great support from the Scottish Government for the many exciting things happening at the Institute just now.”