Mairi Gougeon

Anne Anderson in front of the Scottish Parliament

Call for fish farm law as ex-Sepa boss says system ‘not delivering’

Gaick Estate, owned by Anders Holch Povlsen, forms part of the Danish billionaire’s growing landholding.

Scotland 'going backwards' on private land ownership, report warns

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.

Let's promise to have decency and honesty in politics in 2026 Rachel Amery

Farmers protest over Labour's changes to inheritance tax on the Edinburgh city bypass (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell)

Rural Scotland sees 'sustained decline' after 4.5 per cent drop in GDP

The Scottish Government is unhappy at Scotland’s allocation of the fishing and coastal growth fund.

SNP and Tories band together against Labour over fishing funding

Scotland’s ‘global success story’ - salmon industry now worth £1bn to economy

Fishing boats in Peterhead harbour

'Unacceptable' that Scotland is receiving only 8% of UK fishing fund

Peterhead Harbour, said to be one of the biggest in Europe and the UK, particularly for whitefish and pelagic species

'Deeply concerning' lack of engagement with fishermen in offshore wind

Fish farms on the west coast of Scotland

Plan for new guidance could see fish farms prosecuted for poor welfare

The Dava wildfire caused devastating destruction.

Campfires and BBQs to be banned in Cairngorms after wildfires

Plans to create a national park in Galloway have proved controversial

Where £160k was spent on consultation for axed national park

Gordon McConachie, who was showing Aberdeen Angus and Highland Cattle at the Royal Highland Show

Farmers angst over political uncertainty at Highland Show

Cattle numbers will not be reduced, Scottish Government has said

Scotland rejects climate change advice to cut livestock herds

Land around Loch Laxford seen through the hills. Picture: PA

Landowners face massive £40k fines for 'management plan' breaches

Vanguard-class submarine HMS Vigilant, one of the UK's four nuclear warhead-carrying submarines, at HM Naval Base Clyde

SNP ministers’ stance on defence is incoherent - we need investment Louise Gilmour

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer delivers a speech during a visit to the BAE Systems' Govan facility yesterday (Picture: Andy Buchanan - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Readers' Letters: Scottish Government's stance on defence spending misguided

The Scottish Government is paying out £970,000 to farmers this year under the Sea Eagle Management Scheme (Picture: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Readers' letters: Protect our farmers from sea eagles slaughtering lambs

Plans to create a national park in Galloway have proved controversial

Breaking Scottish Government ditches plans to create Galloway National Park

Galloway Forest Park

Ministers told to ignore 'land-owning lobbyists' as park axe looms

Plans to create a national park in Galloway have proved controversial

New national park 'would cost £500m' by stopping wind farms

Featuring hundreds of events from April 30 to May 5, visitors from around the world come to Scotland to enjoy the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival. From whisky tasting to live music, there are events taking place in distilleries, village halls, castles and hotels across the region.

Scottish food makers deliver £5bn boost but sector at ‘pivotal moment’

More than £200m has been spent by the Scottish government on external consultants to help run a subsidy system for farmers

'Astonishing' £200m used to spend on consultants for farming policy

Mairi Gougeon is the latest SNP MSP to announce she's had enough (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Readers' Letters: Shaky future ahead for SNP with third of MSPs to go

The Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood in Edinburgh. Picture: PA

Third SNP Cabinet minister announces resignation from politics

The vast glasshouse is part of a multi-million-pound redevelopment and modernisation project at Newton Nursery near Elgin. Picture: Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS)

Greenhouse size of two football pitches can grow 19 million trees a year

Plans to create a national park in Galloway have proved controversial

Council backs plans for new national park despite 'upset'

Plans to create a national park in Galloway have proved controversial

New National Park plan poised for referendum amid council concerns

An interactive map showing information about publicly-owned land, as well as land managed by Scottish Crown Estate, has been created.

New map sheds fresh information on Scotland's publicly owned land

The NFU gathered outside the Scottish Parliament.

Watch: Two major protests at Holyrood with tractor on front steps

Galloway becoming Scotland's next national park is currently under consultation

Referendum over national park binned as independent review demanded

Some of the hill range in the Galloway Forest Park

'There's a third option': Alternative boundary drawn for national park

Crop trials

Farm Advisory Service secures vital three-year extension

The herring gulls have caused injuries to several children

Council plea for powers to cull 'menace' seagulls over town attacks

The summit of Corn An Tuirc in Glenshee in the Cairngorm National Park.

How much are Scotland's national parks really worth?

A view of a forest in Galloway

Site for Scotland's next national park 'extremely tough' choice

A computer-generated image of the new building, which is expected to complete in late 2025 and will be called Camas House. Picture: contributed.

The £8m boost that will mean jobs for rural Scotland destination

Scottish Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon.

Senior SNP minister says UK counterpart ignored her for seven months

The commission's conference is set to bring together the leaders of the land reform debate.

Packed event to focus on leadership in land reform

Hannah Fennell (SFF Chair), Mairi Gougeon and Elspeth Macdonald (SFF CEO)

Cabinet Secretary signs pledge to protect fishing

ScotLink members says breeding of low-emissions livestock - which expel lower levels of climate-warming methane when they burp - should be incentivised in Scotland's new agriculture bill

Warning over Scottish agricultural subsidies amid 'deeply concerning' decision

Exclusive 'It's hugely depressing': Ten million trees to go to waste after budget cuts

Jenny Gilruth MSP and Mairi Gougeon with schools staff and pupils.

Politicians celebrates Learning Outside the Classroom at Lathallan School
Jenny Gilruth MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, and Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, made a special visit to Lathallan School ...

Farmers drive their tractors on the ring road of Rennes, western France, on February 1 (Photo by SEBASTIEN SALOM-GOMIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Here's why discontent in Scotland's farming industry is different to EU protests

Four-year-old Loader, who weighs about 1,350 kilos, is the farm's most sought after bull (pic: Roxburgh Mains)

Scottish farmer secures global business deal selling cow genetics

Aberdeenshire West MSP Mr Burnett

Disappointment as no government cash for Deeside salmon counter

Calls have been made to Humza Yousaf to return the remaining £46 million of funding to the Scottish agriculture budget when he addresses the NFUS Conference next week (pic: Lisa Ferguson/The Scotsman)

Humza Yousaf urged to return £46m to agriculture budget

Puffins, found around the Scottish coast and islands, are at risk due to an increasing scarcity of their main food source – the sandeel, which is a victim of overfishing and the impacts of climate change

How a sandeel fishing ban could help seabirds, whales and dolphins

A beaver swimming in murky lake water. Picture: Getty Images

Cairngorm farmers 'worse off' living in national park boundary

Funding for woodland creation in Scotland has been slashed by 41 per cent (pic: David Cheskin)

Scotland to fail woodland planting target again after funding cut by nearly half

Former SNP president Michael Russell has been appointed to head up the Scottish Land Commission. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Michael Russell as Scottish Land Commission chair prompts 'erosion of trust'

The Scottish Government's Land Reform Bill is set to be introduced in early 2024. Picture: Katharine Hay/The Scotsman

Reform of 'archaic' land ownership crucial to economic future, new report claims

Michael Russell's quango job is a sign of how SNP has silenced dissent Brian Wilson

Why the Scottish Government wants change around land ownership Mairi Gougeon

Atlantic salmon female, on its migration up river to spawn pic: Linda Pitkin

Scotland's Atlantic salmon declared endangered because of government failures

Scottish Land Reform Bill delayed after 'sheer number of consultation responses

Fishermen have broadly welcomed the outcome of the fisheries talks.

Quota increases welcomed by SFF

The Scotsman Top Stories

Scotland has failed to meet its latest target for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, the latest official figures show. Picture: John Giles/PA Wire

Fail: Scotland misses climate target

Pro-independence protesters with Scottish Saltire flags (top) march for Scottish independence. Picture: Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images

Yousaf: Growing popular support for Yes the only way to Scottish independence

Nadine Dorries. Picture: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

SNP MP cleared of bullying Nadine Dorries