THE 2009 ROYAL Highland Show got off to a rip-roaring and sunny start yesterday morning at its Ingliston home.

By 8.30am, cabinet secretary for rural affairs Richard Lochhead had made his first speech.

By 9am, the traditional reports of traffic chaos to the north were coming in by mobile phone. However by mid morning the showground was filling up, with early reports indicating the turnstiles were whirling around faster than usual for the first day of the four-day agrifest.

By 3pm, 35,700 showgoers had arrived—1300 more than at the same stage a year ago. It all had a nice familiar feel as the first classes of livestock and horses took to the judging rings and the machinery salesmen swung into action.

The multiple retailers have an increasing presence at the Highland, with their own section of the showground becoming increasingly central to the business of the day.

Yesterday, Morrisons announced that it is to make a major investment in research and development by becoming a surprising “new entrant” to farming.

The chief executive of the Yorkshire- based supermarket has negotiated a joint venture which will see his company farming the 700 acres surrounding historic Dumfries House near Cumnock in Ayrshire.

The property, one-time home of the Bute family, was saved for the nation at the last moment in 2007 following an intervention by the Prince of Wales.

Morrisons are not the only supermarket to go farming. Waitrose have an estate in Hampshire and, of course, the links between the Co-op and its farms go back more than 100 years.

The difference with this initiative, according to Mr Bolland, is that profit will not be the driver.

Funds are to be provided to enable SAC to run a sustainable production research programme based on what he called “a third way” between organic and conventional farming. The focus will be on efficient production of traditional breeds including Shorthorn and Aberdeen Angus cattle.

Professor Bill McKelvey, chief executive of SAC, said, “We will be looking at immediate application of best practice using our existing team.

“This will be part monitor farm and part demonstration farm as well and we really welcome this new money from Morrisons which will make it possible.”

Meanwhile, ASDA was offering some positive support for the Scottish pig industry.

The retailer is to strengthen ties with Vion, operator of the Broxburn abattoir which underpins the industry and also with the pig procurement co-op Scottish Pig Producers Ltd. This will involve an Asda Porklink scheme to run alongside schemes already in place for beef and lamb.

There will be an extra £250,000 bonus for Q grade pigs, prompt seven day payment to farmers, regular producer group meetings and more training and research.

The future viability of the Broxburn plant is always seen as vital for the Scottish pig sector. Transport costs to English abattoirs from northeast farms would be prohibitive and the 30,000 national sow herd would be unlikely to survive loss of the facility.

But Paul Armstrong, Asda’s senior pork buyer, was highly supportive of Vion and the 20-year association with Scottish pig farmers.

Scottish Pig Producers chairman Sandy Howie said, “It is well known that Asda take a disproportionate share of their pork from Scotland and today’s announcement should send out a message to producers that they should feel more confident.”

Jim Jaffrey, who runs the Vion pig processing and feed milling operation in Scotland said Asda’s carcase utilisation was well balanced over pork cuts, gammon and cooked meats.