Mairi Gougeon

Scottish Land & Estates said rural Scotland needs clear policy direction and funding for its multi-faceted role in delivering for nature, climate and food production

Quality Meat Scotland chair Kate Rowell said supermarkets must now send a clear message to farmers that they support and back their high reputational standards over lower welfare farming and cheap imports

Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said Scottish Government will not be accepting recommendations from the Climate Change Committee to 'support' farmers in lowering livestock numbers on-farm

NatureScot's report said 54% of responses during the consultation process opposed the National Park proposal, while only 42% of responses supported it

The Green political party said Scottish Government must not be 'swayed' by land-owning lobbyists and farmers in their decision to stop the creation of a third National Park in Scotland

The former Rural Affairs Secretary said the SNP had 'self-destructed' and 'turned its back' on farmers

In today's Farming in Five, chief reporter Rachael Brown reports on a letter sent by the Efra Committee chair, Alistair Carmichael to the Farming Minister calling on the Government to focus on five key areas to improve fairness and resilience in the food supply chain. Later today Mr Carmichael will be presenting his food supply chain fairness bill in Parliament. And the absence of rural crime in the Government's Crime and Policing Bill has been branded 'unacceptable' by a Liberal Democrat MP

In today's Farming in Five, chief reporter Rachael Brown reports on yesterday's emergency roundtable meeting on SFI, with the Farming Minister criticised for providing lack of clarity on the what the future redesign of SFI will look like, and for showing a lack of empathy for those farmers who missed out on SFI. She also reports on farmers defending Scottish Minister Mairi Gougeon and criticising the level abuse she received online, as she announced she is stepping down from her post after more that half of her life in politics. And don't forget to sign up to our free webinar on Inheritance Tax ( March 27), where an expert panel will be unpicking any updates from the Spring Statement the day before

Have 'keyboard warriors' played a role in influencing Ms Gougeon's decision to stand down from politics in 2026?

Jim Walker, chair of the Suckler Beef Climate Group Programme Board, said the Scottish Government's system for supporting farmers was ‘not fit for purpose' and that a decline in cattle numbers had placed a 'burden' on farmers