AGRISCOT, a one-day business event for farmers and the agricultural supply trade will be held at Ingliston, on the outskirts of Edinburgh, this Wednesday. I suppose it could be considered as the last "agricultural show" of the year, although, unlike other shows, it is held under cover in four exhibition halls on the Royal Highland Showground. That way it isn't hostage to the vagaries of the Scottish climate.

Apart from being under cover, AgriScot differs from other agricultural shows as 75 per cent of the 11,500 attendees are farmers, with the bulk of the others being agri-professionals such as advisers or sales staff. The stated aim of those who attend is to do business, in stark contrast to summer shows where the general public make up the bulk of the crowd and the emphasis is on showing and socialising.

Now there is nothing wrong with the general public and their children attending shows - indeed it is good to see families enjoying a day out and learning about where their food comes from - but the general public can get in the way of business. For instance, the first day of the Royal Highland Show is always regarded as the farmers' day, as it tends to be quieter and allows them to do serious business on the trade stands.

Summer shows have been increasingly catering for the general public and their insatiable desire to "shop until they drop". Research revealed that 38 per cent of those attending the Royal Highland Show rank shopping as the main reason for going, and 55 per cent of them spent at least £100 at the 1,100 trade stands across the showground.

There won't be any schoolchildren at AgriScot this Wednesday, just farmers "kicking tyres" in the country's largest winter display of machinery, from the latest tractors to equipment for both arable and livestock farms. Sales professionals on the different trade stands will be very attentive to enquiries as nearly half of the farmers attending farm more than 100 hectares. In other words, there is the potential to do some serious business.

AgriScot has its origins in the old Scottish Winter Fair, that saw the dairy enthusiasts break away from prime-stock exhibitors in 1994 to establish Dairy Scot, a specialist dairy event. Out of that event was born AgriScot in 2001, that still incorporates an outstanding show of dairy cattle.

Since then the organisers have developed the event's appeal to all sectors of the industry, and in addition to 240 trade stands have included business seminars and technical demonstrations. Another popular innovation of the event is that admission and parking are free.

Last year nearly half of attendees were beef famers, 30 per cent sheep farmers, with dairy and arable farmers accounting for about 25 per cent each. For those observant readers who think those statistics don't add up, I must explain that it is not uncommon for farmers to have several enterprises like beef, sheep and arable on one farm.

Many farmers like to attend the various seminars to hear leading politicians, scientists and economists debate the big issues of the day. Some of them never fail to be first on their feet after the presentations to ask long-winded questions that are in effect their own take on the situation designed to make them appear more knowledgable.

Perhaps it's that burning desire to get noticed that prompts others to enter the various national competitions run by AgriScot such as Scottish Dairy Farmer of the Year, Scottish Sheep Farmer of the Year, or Scottish Beef Farmer of the Year.

As a freelance farming journalist I have interviewed many winners over the years in order to write features on their farming systems for specialist farming publications. As you would expect, all those that I have interviewed have been worthy winners with well-run, progressive businesses. Nevertheless, I must confess to thinking about all the other entrants who weren't shortlisted or had to contend with coming fourth or fifth. It must be heartbreaking to learn that you aren't as good as you thought you were. Do such people keep on entering the competition year after year, or do they accept they're just average, ordinary farmers?

As always, there is no shame in not winning one of the coveted trophies in the dairy cattle show-ring.

So while there might be no weans or shopping at Agriscot, showing dairy cattle, business, and socialising are the main ingredients.