Hutt talks up show's relevance

Published on Sunday 29 May 2011 19:38

With just over three weeks to go to this year's Highland Show, Stephen Hutt, the new chief executive of the organisation behind it, described his main objective as keeping the show relevant to the farming industry.

Speaking at the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland headquarters at Ingliston, Hunt said he believed the show had a pivotal role to play in the creation of a better public understanding of the land and rural resources.

And referring to the original aims of the society in promoting land-based industry, said this was as important today as it was 200 years ago when it was formed.

Hutt comes to the top seat at a time when the medium-term future for the show look to be secure at its current base with the removal of expansion plans by nearby Edinburgh airport. But he warned that the longer-term view from the Airport Master Plan was still stating that it would need more land by 2040.

This possible future conflict had to be borne in mind by the society whenever they were considering making major investments on their site, he stated.

In looking beyond the coming show, Hutt, said he wanted to see the society take a bigger role in promoting the industry.

Last year, some 400,000 was given to bodies ranging from research projects through to helping Scotland's representation at the recent world ploughing championship