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.

Police warn motorists to ‘expect the unexpected’ on rural roads
Police warn motorists to ‘expect the unexpected’ on rural roads

Police have warned motorists to “expect the unexpected” following an incident involving a car and farm machinery near Malton, North...

Adama appoints new UK herbicides manager
Adama appoints new UK herbicides manager

Adama Agricultural Solutions UK has announced the appointment of Dr. Alison Hall as its new product manager for herbicides. The...

A third of fruit and veg crop ‘too ugly’ to sell
A third of fruit and veg crop ‘too ugly’ to sell

More than one-third of farmed fruit and vegetables never reaches supermarket shelves because they are misshapen or the wrong size,...

Third African Swine Fever outbreak in China as disease spreads
Third African Swine Fever outbreak in China as disease spreads

A third African Swine Fever outbreak has been confirmed in China as the disease continues to spread through one of...

Dale Farm workers prepare to strike over pay
Dale Farm workers prepare to strike over pay

Maintenance workers at three Dale Farm sites have voted to strike over a pay claim, union leaders say. It comes...

New Holstein sires bring new opportunities to breeders
New Holstein sires bring new opportunities to breeders

A new wave of young Holstein sires is presenting unprecedented breeding opportunities, according to genetic evaluations by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development...

Severe weather events to slow global milk production growth
Severe weather events to slow global milk production growth

The impacts of the dry, hot weather in Europe and Australia showed in global milk supplies in June, according to...

Calf growth app launches…how do yours measure up?
Calf growth app launches…how do yours measure up?

Cattle youngstock rearers now have a quick and easy way of recording and monitoring individual calf growth rates against pre-set...

Straw prices up £45/t as pressure builds on supplies
Straw prices up £45/t as pressure builds on supplies

Straw prices have soared to record-breaking highs as the summer drought continues to put a squeeze on availability. The latest...

Scottish dairy-sired calf registrations down 2.7% on 5-year average
Scottish dairy-sired calf registrations down 2.7% on 5-year average

Provisional calf registration data for Scotland for the first half of 2018 showed an overall decline of 1.6% compared with...

Almost two-thirds of Dale Farm suppliers manage 3p/L bonus
Almost two-thirds of Dale Farm suppliers manage 3p/L bonus

Northern Ireland’s largest milk processor, Dale Farm, has seen a significant boost in its supply despite the difficult summer. The...

UK cull cow slaughter numbers increase as drought crunches
UK cull cow slaughter numbers increase as drought crunches

Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) estimates for cull cow slaughterings have increased significantly since the end of June, having...

No-deal Brexit ‘potentially devastating’ to UK’s livestock sectors
No-deal Brexit ‘potentially devastating’ to UK’s livestock sectors

A ‘no-deal’ Brexit would have “unthinkable consequences” for the thousands of UK livestock farms, three of the industry’s main unions...

Quirky dairy campaign keeps millennials on-side
Quirky dairy campaign keeps millennials on-side

A quirky £1.2 million industry campaign to remind millennials of their love of dairy resulted in an 11% drop in...

Podcaster to discuss profitable pasture at Shetland monitor farm meeting
Podcaster to discuss profitable pasture at Shetland monitor farm meeting

A farm consultant turned podcaster is set to discuss forage crops and pasture management at the next Shetland monitor farm...

UK launches fact-finding mission for British pork exports to Mexico
UK launches fact-finding mission for British pork exports to Mexico

Opportunities for exporting pork to Mexico will be explored when the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) arrives in the...

2 new recruits join AHDB’s pork team
2 new recruits join AHDB’s pork team

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has recruited two new members of staff to complete the pork knowledge transfer...

Dramatic variation in East Midlands harvest
Dramatic variation in East Midlands harvest

Early indications from this year’s harvest suggest farmers fortunes have varied dramatically across the East Midlands, after the last remaining...