Barley Hub opens at James Hutton Institute

By Robbie Waugh, Director of the International Barley Hub

Barley is the predominant crop grown in Scotland, and directly or indirectly supports some 40,000 jobs north of the UK border, largely due to it underpinning the worldrenowned Scotch whisky industry.

Demand for the crop has grown in recent years, thanks to £2bn of investment in national distillery infrastructure, growth in the craft beer sector and increased whisky sales. However, research from the James Hutton Institute has found it is becoming increasingly difficult to meet this demand locally due to adverse weather conditions reducing barley yields or quality, regulatory changes restricting use of certain agrochemicals and challenges in crop management particularly in relation to the push for more sustainable production methodologies.

To tackle these issues, £62 million (£45 million from the UK Government and £17 million from the Scottish Government as part of the Tay Cities Region Deal) has been invested at the JHI campus to build the International Barley Hub (IBH) and Advanced Plant Growth Centre (APGC).

In December, we opened the International Barley Hub Field Centre, which will promote the translation of scientific discoveries into practical impacts, and pilot new technologies for crop management including agricultural sensors, in-field robotics and drones.

The IBH building, delivered by Wellwood Leslie Architects and construction business McLaughlin & Harvey, will integrate key sustainability technologies, such as:

• generating hot water, heating and cooling via air source heat pumps;

• using low-energy LED lighting along with daylight dimming and infrared controls;

• providing natural ventilation where possible and heat recovery on mechanical systems;

• reducing employee exposure to airborne contaminants (dust, fumes, etc) through the installation of Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) systems

The IBH aims to enhance the production of premium quality barley by focusing on the whole barley supply and value chain, delivering a step change in barley research capability with modern facilities and state of the art equipment. Securing resilience of the barley supply and value chain is critical to the continued success of our global food and drink businesses, and particularly for the whisky industry here in Scotland.

The James Hutton Institute is a world-leading scientific research organisation working to resolve global challenges in food, climate, energy and water security. The Institute works in partnership with people, organisations and governments to enhance sustainable environmental, social and economic development to deliver practical solutions for our shared future. www.hutton.ac.uk