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 2026 Royal Highland Show, which recognised innovation across engineering, digital technology, business management and soil intelligence.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
An innovation which delivers ultra-high-resolution soil intelligence at scale, enabling farmers to better understand and manage the variability of their soils.
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."
