Gillian Martin appointed Scotland's new rural affairs secretary
Scottish farming leaders are awaiting key policy signals after John Swinney reshuffled his cabinet and appointed Gillian Martin as Scotland’s new cabinet secretary for climate action and rural affairs.
The changes come less than 24 hours after MSPs voted to keep Mr Swinney in office as First Minister, allowing the SNP to continue governing Scotland following a historic fifth consecutive election victory at Holyrood.
Ms Martin replaces Mairi Gougeon, who stepped down ahead of the election after spending five years overseeing Scotland’s rural affairs brief.
Her appointment comes amid growing pressure on the Scottish Government over future agricultural funding, land reform, climate policy and support for rural communities.
The Aberdeenshire East MSP previously served as cabinet secretary for climate action and energy and has held several environmental and parliamentary roles since entering Holyrood in 2016.
Her relationship with sections of the farming sector has already faced scrutiny following a difficult appearance at an NFU Scotland hustings event during the election campaign, where some audience members accused the SNP government of failing rural communities.
The rural affairs portfolio retains responsibility for agriculture, food and drink, fisheries, forestry, land reform and island communities.
Meanwhile, Jim Fairlie has retained his role as minister for agriculture while also taking on responsibility for marine and island matters.
Mr Fairlie, MSP for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, comes from a sheep farming background and has become one of the Scottish Government’s central figures on agricultural support and rural policy since joining the ministerial team in 2024.
The reshaped cabinet forms part of what the Scottish Government described as a more streamlined administration designed to align climate ambitions with support for rural economies and island communities.
The balance between environmental targets and food production is expected to remain a major issue for the new rural affairs team, particularly as farmers continue raising concerns over regulation, profitability and future support schemes.
Speaking after securing another term as First Minister, Mr Swinney said he wanted to lead a government that worked “to bring people together with a strong sense of national purpose”.
“I will be a First Minister for all of Scotland,” he said.
“The country I seek to build is a country where everyone feels accepted and able to contribute to our national story.”
Mr Swinney described continuing as First Minister as “the greatest privilege and the greatest responsibility of my life”.
With major decisions looming over farming support, climate policy and rural spending, Scotland’s new rural affairs team is expected to come under immediate scrutiny from the agricultural sector.
