Press Release (23 January 2008)

AgriScot to Continue as a Specialist Agri Business Event

Re-elected AgriScot Chairman, Robin Young, welcomed the news that the RHASS and SNFC are to hold exploratory talks about a winter event appealing to the general public featuring livestock, food and other attractions.

“Agriscot has developed as a specialist trade event providing a business platform for farmers and the supply trade however we would be supportive of the type of event that RHASS and SNFC are considering and believe it could prove to be a winning formula for the two organisations.”

“Despite the enforced absence of livestock we have just held our biggest ever event and independent research carried out at AgriScot 2007 amongst visitors has provided a tremendous endorsement for the business to business format.  An exhibitor survey has further underlined how important AgriScot is to the industry.”

AgriScot has offered the SNFC facilities for beef cattle and sheep classes and to participate in the management of the event but livestock, in the numbers required to satisfy the SNFC members, would mean the exclusion of an unacceptable number of trade stands rendering a joint event financially non-viable.  AgriScot currently occupies all the permanent exhibition halls available at Ingliston and changing the balance between livestock and trade would fundamentally alter the principles upon which Agriscot has built its success.

The AgriScot Management Committee will be re-introducing livestock at the 2008 event and will continue to develop its business credentials appealing to beef, dairy, sheep and arable farmers.  Mr Young emphasised that the events could come together but only when circumstances change particularly if the Royal Highland Centre’s proposed relocation to an enhanced facility at Norton Park comes to fruition or if the SNFC were to limit its livestock numbers.

AgriScot takes place 19 November 2008.