This page can be found at: www.scri.ac.uk
Skip to content¦

MEPs visit Scotland’s leading crop research institute

A group of MEPs and senior EU officials discovered more about the importance of SCRI research to European agriculture on a visit to Invergowrie, Dundee.

Photograph showing Peter Gregory and the visiting MEPs with SCRI productsThe delegation were met by Director and Chief Executive, Professor Peter Gregory, and heard details of SCRI’s work on food security, climate change, sustainability and biodiversity.

There was also an opportunity for the MEPs to meet SCRI scientists and ask questions about their work. The visit was part of a two day fact finding visit to Scotland by members and officials of the EU Agriculture Committee.

Welcoming the delegation Professor Gregory said: “We are delighted to host such an important group of visitors and keen to share our research with them.

“The EU Agriculture Committee plays a key role and we welcome this opportunity to keep them informed of our latest research on biofuels, healthy foods and the development of commercially useful crops.”

"The intensity of questioning by our EU colleagues demonstrates that we are clearly striking a chord" - Alyn Smith MEP

Alyn Smith MEP, Scotland’s only full member of the EU Agriculture Committee, who led the delegation said: “The reason we have brought the committee delegation to Scotland is to demonstrate the real global contribution that Scotland is making in plant science.

“SCRI is leading world science in terms of new biotechnology and new developments in plant science and I’m delighted that Scotland is making such a significant contribution to Europe’s agricultural future.

“The intensity of questioning by our EU colleagues demonstrates that we are clearly striking a chord.”

The delegation consisted of the following:

  • Neil Parish
  • Struan Stevenson
  • Alyn Smith
  • Friedrich-Wilhelm Graefe zu Baringdorf
  • Lutz Goepel
  • Agnes Schierhuber
  • Niels Busk
  • Andreas Schneider
  • Wilhelm Bargum
  • Gerhard Kalb
  • Maria Seifriedsberger.

During their stay in Scotland the delegation also visited a dairy farm, a hill sheep farm and met with Minister for Environment Roseanna Cunningham and the Scottish Parliament Committee on Agriculture and Environment.

More information from:

Phil Taylor, Head of Communications, SCRI, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA. Tel: 01382 560044 (direct line), Mobile: 07810 860 701 or

Lorraine Wakefield, Information and Online Service Officer, SCRI, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA. Tel: 01382 560047 (direct line) or 562731 (switchboard).