Utah State University and a governmental research arm based in Scotland recently formed a partnership to collaborate on research in environmental and agricultural science.
USU President Noelle Cockett and Colin Campbell, chief executive of the James Hutton Institute signed a memorandum of understanding in April.
Cockett said the global partnership will lead to a more sustainable future by improving the world’s food supply.
Ian Houston is the president and Washington D.C. ambassador of the Scottish Business Network. He said the agreement between the university and the Hutton Institute “reinforces” the school’s role in research in the areas of land, water, and air quality. He said USU’s department of plant, soils, and climate have already worked to address these research areas and the agreement will expand those opportunities.
Cockett says one issue that’s directly relevant to Utah, as far as the environment and food security is concerned, is the state’s population growth. She said the upward trend puts pressure on land and water and directly impacts sustainable agricultural practices crucial in Utah and to ensure the global food supply.
