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.

Vets raise concerns about migration recommendations
Vets raise concerns about migration recommendations

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has warned that the Migration Advisory Committee’s (MAC) report on European migration could have implications...

Calls for Welsh badger cull to be reinstated following English results
Calls for Welsh badger cull to be reinstated following English results

Welsh farmers are calling for the country’s devolved Government plan to cull badgers to tackle bovine TB to be reinstated...

‘Warm words no substitute to affirmative action’ on farm tenancies
‘Warm words no substitute to affirmative action’ on farm tenancies

An organisation representing Britain’s tenant farmers has demanded the Government moves quickly to make what it describes as “much-needed changes”...

Patrick Muller confirmed as new Muller managing director
Patrick Muller confirmed as new Muller managing director

Muller has confirmed the appointment of Patrick Muller as the new managing director of Muller Milk & Ingredients (MMI) on...

75% rate Open Farm Weekend 10 out of 10
75% rate Open Farm Weekend 10 out of 10

Three-quarters of those who visited Northern Ireland farms through this year’s Open Farm Weekend rated the event ’10 out of...

Farmcare agrees new farm management partnerships
Farmcare agrees new farm management partnerships

One of the UK’s largest growing farming businesses, Farmcare, has entered into a series of partnerships to take over the...

Pics: 10-mile stretch of motorway closed after milk tanker crash
Pics: 10-mile stretch of motorway closed after milk tanker crash

A 10-mile stretch of motorway in Wiltshire was closed for almost 14 hours after a milk tanker overturned on one...

£3 million support scheme launched to reduce farming’s ammonia emissions
£3 million support scheme launched to reduce farming’s ammonia emissions

A new team of experts officially start today to help farmers reduce ammonia emissions from agriculture. The £3 million Catchment...

Nature Friendly Farming Network Welsh chair resigns over disparity in values
Nature Friendly Farming Network Welsh chair resigns over disparity in values

The Welsh chairman of Nature Friendly Farming Network has said he resigned because of the disparity between the values held by...

Insecticide guidelines updated in light of recent pesticide bans
Insecticide guidelines updated in light of recent pesticide bans

Guidelines for the management of insecticide resistance in several key UK crops have been updated by the Insecticide Resistance Action...

New UK-first bovine semen processing lab opened
New UK-first bovine semen processing lab opened

A cutting-edge semen processing lab in Cumbria opened on Monday (September 16) will harness the same technology used for human...

‘Meticulous’ Oxfordshire herd manager wins national award
‘Meticulous’ Oxfordshire herd manager wins national award

Leigh Woolmer of Stuchbury Manor Farm, Banbury has been named Promar’s 2018 Milkminder Manager of the Year. Leigh, who manages...

NFU calls for improvements ahead of 2018 ES payments
NFU calls for improvements ahead of 2018 ES payments

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has called for improvements to be made to the current farm payment system ahead of...

First Milk accounts: Turnover up but profit down
First Milk accounts: Turnover up but profit down

First Milk bosses report “another year of solid progress” as accounts show significant investment in its own sites. The accounts for...

Study finds intensive farming has lower environmental cost than organic
Study finds intensive farming has lower environmental cost than organic

Agriculture that appears to be more eco-friendly but uses more land may actually have greater environmental costs per unit of...

Council issues warning to dog owners after 3 huskies worry housed sheep
Council issues warning to dog owners after 3 huskies worry housed sheep

A Northern Ireland council is urging members of the public to keep their dogs under control after a man was...

London charity farm launches appeal for 11 stolen piglets
London charity farm launches appeal for 11 stolen piglets

A miniature working farm based on the banks of the Thames has launched an appeal for the safe return of 11...

Staffordshire farm fined £14,000 for pollution incident
Staffordshire farm fined £14,000 for pollution incident

A Staffordshire farm has been fined £14,000 following pollution of the Gayton Brook, where 3,000 fish were killed. In a...