Nine pioneering businesses receive prestigious RHASS Innovation Awards celebrating excellence across the agricultural sector
Trail-blazing innovations from across all sectors within Scotland’s agricultural industry are set to be recognised at this year’s Royal Highland Show, as nine organisations receive prestigious RHASS Innovation Awards.
Previously known as the Technical Innovation Awards, the RHASS Innovation Awards are the oldest competition run by the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS), celebrating the practical solutions, technologies and advancements driving progress across the agricultural sector.
The awards were presented on Saturday 20th June at the Royal Highland Show, recognising innovation across engineering, digital technology, business management and soil intelligence.
In the Mechanical and Engineering Advancements category, sponsored by CRF Hydro Power Ltd, Silver awards will be presented to:
DeLaval Ltd for Flow-Responsive Milking
A smart controlled vacuum system which automatically maintains a steady vacuum at the teat while handling the variation in milk flow from each individual quarter, enabling a faster, gentler and more complete milking process.
Lely Center Ayr for their Automatic Milk Filter
A milk filtration system providing automated rinsing and robot-managed cleaning cycles to ensure a consistently high standard of hygiene, supporting the wider move towards hands-free dairy management.
Certificates of commendation were awarded to:
McHale for TerraDrive Axle
A newly developed hydraulic axle developed for the McHale Fusion 4 Plus machines, designed to provide extra traction to distribute workload, improving mobility and reducing strain on the tractor.
Spread-a-Bale for Combi-Bale
A fully self-loading machine for square or round bales, capable of spreading straw, and cutting and spreading haylage and silage, helping streamline feeding and bedding to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
In the Digital and Management Solutions, sponsored by Agrii, Silver awards will be presented to:
James and John Fairlie for Yokit
A secure cloud-based digital platform, available as a mobile app and desktop dashboard, that captures, organises and automates essential operational data in real time, providing a practical solution to business administration.
BAGMA for Culverdocs – Paperless Solution
A UK-first digital solution for the agricultural dealership sector for Record of Machine Installation forms, supporting organisations through onboarding and implementation by enabling administrators to build digital forms and processes and distribute them to employees through mobile and web apps.
Two will be honoured with certificates of commendation:
Drone Ag Limited for Skippy Scout
Unlike traditional drone mapping, which can be time-intensive and generate large, complex datasets, Skippy Scout uses a much faster ‘Sphere’ capture system to provide full-field overviews using fewer images and significantly smaller file sizes, while retaining high-resolution detail to deliver fast, reliable crop insights where weather, terrain and time often limit field access.
Monil for Monil Cattle Collar
A ‘digital shepherd’ for livestock, pairing a compact electronic collar with a mobile app that allows farmers to create and adjust virtual fences while monitoring animal locations in real time.
A coveted Gold Award will be presented to H L Hutchinson Ltd for TerraMap, an innovation which delivers ultra-high-resolution soil intelligence at scale, enabling farmers to better understand and manage the variability of their soils.
Recognising exceptional marketplace success and industry influence, Gold Awards are reserved exclusively for previous Silver Award winners that can demonstrate significant industry impact, sustained commercial success and a proven track record of delivering practical benefits to users. Winners must also show clear evidence of influencing industry standards, driving change within the sector and achieving measurable market success over time.
All winning innovations will be showcased at the agricultural zone during the Royal Highland Show.
Katy McFadyen, Competitions Executive at RHASS, said: “The Innovation Awards are one of our longest-running competitions at RHASS and bring to light the incredibly talented individuals and innovations that help shape the future of Scottish agriculture.
“We’re really excited to see the range of businesses and ideas that came forward this year, and would like to thank Agrii and CRF Hydro Power Ltd for kindly sponsoring our awards categories, supporting the continued legacy of the awards.”
Andrew Rennie, Convenor of Judges and RHASS Director, of John Rennie & Sons (Farmers) Ltd in Turriff, added: “RHASS has a proud history of supporting agriculture and innovation, the categories in the Innovation Awards enable us to highlight a broad range of innovations that drive progress in our industry.
“These awards play a vital role in promoting fresh ideas and inspiring innovation across the sector and the show is the perfect platform to recognise and celebrate such brilliant advances which are made in our industry.”
Lewis Mckerrow, Head of Digital Agronomy at H L Lutchinson Limited, said: “Since receiving the Silver Award in 2023, TerraMap has advanced significantly, so we are absolutely delighted to be recognised with this honour.
“Through a combination of novel sensing technology, high-resolution mapping and expanded analytical capability, TerraMap Gold delivers a level of insight not previously available to farmers, providing data that supports more precise and informed decision-making. This technology supports the transition towards more sustainable, data-driven farming systems in Scotland.
“Receiving a Gold Award from RHASS is a fantastic endorsement of the progress that has been made and the value TerraMap is delivering on farms across the country. We are proud to be helping farmers unlock greater productivity, profitability and sustainability through a better understanding of their soils.”
The Royal Highland Show is the largest fundraising event for RHASS and takes place from 18th-21st June 2026.
For a full list of winners please visit rhass.org.uk
For further information please contact Kirsty Anderson or Toni Dowling at Muckle Media on 0131 228 9713 or by email: rhass@mucklemediagroup.co.uk
About the Royal Highland Show
Supported by the Royal Bank of Scotland, the Royal Highland Show will take place at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh, 18th-21st June 2026. The first show was held in 1822 on a site that is now home to the Scottish Parliament. Today, it is Scotland’s biggest outdoor event attended by 200,000 people per year. Run by RHASS, it is RHASS’ largest fundraising event and is regarded as one of Europe’s best agribusiness shows.
About RHASS
RHASS is Scotland’s agricultural charity and is the leading voice for Scottish agriculture and the rural community. Founded in 1784 with the guiding principles to promote the regeneration of rural Scotland, those principles still ring true today. In 2025 and beyond, the charity strives for new ways to preserve, educate and support the industry and people who live and work in the Scottish countryside, by uniting communities and investing in innovation, education, wellbeing and the environment.
RHASS is membership charity, with 16,000 members. This community built on a legacy of integrity, honesty and genuine care for the countryside and people who have dedicated their lives to it. Our members play a key role in helping RHASS to realise Scotland’s agricultural ambitions.
Known for the delivery of the largest gathering of the agricultural community in the UK, the Royal Highland Show. Held annually, the Show is one of Scotland’s most iconic events, and RHASS’ biggest fundraiser. Showcasing the best of farming, food and rural life at the Royal Highland Centre in Ingliston the event attracts over 1,000 exhibitors, 4,500 livestock and up to 217,000 visitors.
RHASS has two subsidiary organisations; Highland Centre Limited, a trading company managing Scotland’s largest indoor and outdoor venue, the Royal Highland Centre, and the Royal Highland Society Development Trust, an independent charity set up to manage investments, primarily for the benefit of RHASS.
About RBS
Royal Bank of Scotland’s support of the Royal Highland Show is the longest partnership in our 300-year history.
One of the key moments to celebrate the value, importance and pride the agricultural sector offers to the country, the bank’s long tradition of service to the industry has made the event as important to our colleagues as it is to the customers we serve.
The biggest lender to farming in Scotland, we are close to the people and businesses who help the sector thrive and understand what they need today to make sure they can achieve their goals for tomorrow.
About Agrii
A leading provider of agronomy services, technology and strategic advice, and provide farmers across the UK with unrivalled expertise and support.
https://www.agrii.co.uk/who-we-are/overview-of-agrii
