Perthshire farmer McLaren has been chair of QMS since 2011 after serving as president of NFU Scotland from 2007 to 2011. He is also a director of NFU Mutual and a director of Angus Cereals. He was also on the board of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC).

McLaren also finds time to support the work of charities such as Royal Highland Education Trust and regularly welcomes local school children to his farm, Dargill, near Crieff, to gain a better understanding of where their food comes from. He is also a trustee of The Cameron Trust and a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Societies (FRAgS).

More recently, McLaren led on a project to create a memorial which pays tribute to the work of the Land Girls, who helped feed the nation by working on farms during the Second World War.

Mr McLaren said he was surprised and delighted to have received the award.

He said: “It has been a huge privilege for me to have worked in, and for, the Scottish agricultural industry in the various roles I have undertaken to date.

“I am immensely proud of our industry and particularly of the people, the length and breadth of our country, who dedicate their lives to producing safe, nutritious food in a way which enriches Scotland’s environment.

“It is the passion, dedication and innovation of those who work in our industry which has resulted in Scotland’s larder – and brands such as Scotch Beef PGI, Scotch Lamb PGI and Specially Selected Pork – earning a global reputation for quality.”