2011年4月1日前麦考利土地利用研究所和苏格兰作物研究所合并建立，以苏格兰启蒙运动领袖、现代地质学创始人詹姆斯·赫顿之名命名。研究作物、土壤和土地利用、环境研究等方面问题，为全球问题粮食、能源和环境安全等问题提供有效技术和管理方案。多个地点开展业务，包括苏格兰阿伯丁和邓迪，是英国最大的研究中心之一和国际网络组织。为苏格兰政府环境、作物和食品科学等提供研究支持，在苏格兰知识经济中发挥着重要作用。

Prior to 1 April 2011, the Macaulay Land Use Institute and the Scottish Crop Institute were merged to form the name of James Hutton, the leader of the Scottish Enlightenment and founder of modern geology. Research on crop, soil and land use, environmental research and other issues, and provide effective technical and management solutions for global issues such as food, energy and environmental security. Conducting operations from multiple locations, including Aberdeen and Dundee, Scotland, is one of the UK's largest research centres and an international network organisation. Providing research support to the Scottish Government in environmental, crop and food science plays an important role in the Scottish knowledge economy.