Rachel Martin

Rachel Martin Profile Picture

Rachel Martin specialises in writing about agri-business, food production and dairying. Previously she worked as a business reporter at one of Northern Ireland’s biggest daily newspapers. In 2017, she was named one of IFAJ's 10 Young Leaders in Agricultural Journalism. She is currently secretary of the Guild of Agricultural Journalists in Northern Ireland. When she’s not writing, Rachel can usually be found in the milking parlour at home in Co. Down with her family's 130 cows.

Potential Diquat ban challenges future harvest
Potential Diquat ban challenges future harvest

Use of alternative herbicides was the main topic of discussion at the final AHDB Strategic Potato Farm field walk of...

Immigration proposals must consider UK’s high proportion of EU vets
Immigration proposals must consider UK’s high proportion of EU vets

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has warned Government post-Brexit immigration proposals could leave the UK’s meat sector without enough vets...

Plans for new £35 million Scottish agricultural university announced
Plans for new £35 million Scottish agricultural university announced

Proposals for a new £35 million agricultural university in Dumfries and Galloway have been announced as part of Scotland’s Rural...

UK Dairy pledges to reduce food waste by 30% by 2025
UK Dairy pledges to reduce food waste by 30% by 2025

The UK’s dairy industry body, Dairy UK, has vowed to slash food waste 30% within the next seven years. It...

2 weeks left for Seasonal Farm Workers Pilot applications
2 weeks left for Seasonal Farm Workers Pilot applications

Businesses have just two weeks to apply for the for the pilot of the Government’s Seasonal Farm Workers Scheme. The...

Ulster wool prices expected to be up 10p/kg on 2017
Ulster wool prices expected to be up 10p/kg on 2017

The Ulster Wool depot team grades tonnes of wool on a daily basis, ensuring farmers across Northern Ireland realise the...

Scottish farmers to receive up to 90% of direct payments in ‘coming days’
Scottish farmers to receive up to 90% of direct payments in ‘coming days’

Payments worth more than £241 million will begin to arrive in the bank accounts of Scottish farmers and crofters in...

FUW mourns passing of former vice president Gwilym Jones
FUW mourns passing of former vice president Gwilym Jones

The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) is mourning the loss of its life member Gwilym Jones, who sadly passed away...

Scottish Texel Club sale prices top at 2,800gns
Scottish Texel Club sale prices top at 2,800gns

A selective trade peaked at 2,800gns at the Scottish Texel Breeders’ Club show and sale at Lanark. Making that money...

20% of Northern Ireland’s farm workers from abroad
20% of Northern Ireland’s farm workers from abroad

One in five paid Northern Ireland farm workers are migrants, according to the latest Departmental figures. The figures, put together...

New measures to combat volatility needed, as survey reveals mixed harvest
New measures to combat volatility needed, as survey reveals mixed harvest

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) is calling for Government help to build farm resilience against volatility, as its annual harvest...

On-farm AD could hold ‘multi-million pound opportunities’ for sector
On-farm AD could hold ‘multi-million pound opportunities’ for sector

The value of operational expenditure on on-farm anaerobic digestion (AD) in the UK is expected to exceed £150 million a...

Wales’ Farm Business Grant application window extended
Wales’ Farm Business Grant application window extended

Wales’ farmers will now have an extra three weeks to complete applications for the latest round of the Farm Business...

Back British Farming message delivered to Conservative Party Conference
Back British Farming message delivered to Conservative Party Conference

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has bought the ‘Back British Farming’ message to Birmingham as it shows the best of...

Murder inquiry launched after death on Dorset farm
Murder inquiry launched after death on Dorset farm

Detectives investigating the death of a man at a farm near Blandford, Dorset have released one arrested man on police...

Father and son who tried to fake TB test reactions convicted in court
Father and son who tried to fake TB test reactions convicted in court

A father and son from Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland, who attempted to alter TB test reactions, have been convicted on...

Dairy Crest introduces a ‘milk price floor’ for December and January
Dairy Crest introduces a ‘milk price floor’ for December and January

South-western milk processor Dairy Crest has announced it will hold the milk price it pays to its Davidstow farmers for...

Agriculture accounted for just 1% of UK R&D grants
Agriculture accounted for just 1% of UK R&D grants

New statistics reveal the UK’s agriculture industry benefited by £10 million from UK Government’s Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit...