New chairman of the Macaulay Institute board of governors, Michael Gibson has been made a CBE in the New Years Honours.

The award was in recognition of his services to food safety in his role as chairman of the Scottish food advisory committee of the Food Standard’s Agency.

Mr Gibson said he was “dead chuffed” about the award, which comes at the end of his six year association with the agency. He retires from his role at the end of January.

“I am very proud of the award, which is in recognition of all the hard work by people in the agency in Aberdeen. This award is as much for them as it is for me,” he said.

Mr Gibson joined the Macaulay Board in 2003 and has been Chair of its Finance and Estate Management Committee since 2004. He was appointed to the role of Chair in December 2005.

Two former governors were awarded MBEs in the list – Marina Dennis, for her services to crofting and John Don, for services to farming. Both were members of the board between 1994 and 2003.

Mrs Dennis was a commissioner in the Inverness-based Crofters Commission for nine years until she retired in 2004 and also served on the board of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Mr Don, 65, stepped down as chairman of the Scottish Rural Property and Business Association in June, but remains a director of the organisation.

He was president of the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society from 1993 to 1996 and latterly chairman of the farm assurance working group of the Farm Animal Welfare Council.