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.

Crossborder water quality project marks halfway stage with completion of NI sites
Crossborder water quality project marks halfway stage with completion of NI sites

A major cross-border project, aimed at improving water quality in Carlingford Lough and Lough Foyle has reached the halfway stage....

Welsh agricultural college to invest £2.5 million in 10ac solar farm
Welsh agricultural college to invest £2.5 million in 10ac solar farm

Aberystwyth University in Wales has announced plans to invest £2.5 million in a 10ac solar farm as part of its...

UK nears free trade agreement with Australia
UK nears free trade agreement with Australia

Trade negotiators for the UK and Australia say they have reached consensus on the vast majority of elements of a...

Crossborder water quality project marks halfway stage with completion of NI sites
Crossborder water quality project marks halfway stage with completion of NI sites

A major cross-border project, aimed at improving water quality in Carlingford Lough and Lough Foyle has reached the halfway stage....

McGrath: Mournes wildfires highlight urgent need for all-island strategy
McGrath: Mournes wildfires highlight urgent need for all-island strategy

Calls have been made for an all-island strategy to tackle gorse fires as firefighters tackle an uncontrolled wildfire spreading across...

Court orders release of four horses held at NI Port for a month
Court orders release of four horses held at NI Port for a month

Northern Ireland Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots has welcomed the release of four horses held at Belfast Port for more than...

Welsh agricultural college to invest £2.5 million in 10ac solar farm
Welsh agricultural college to invest £2.5 million in 10ac solar farm

Aberystwyth University in Wales has announced plans to invest £2.5 million in a 10ac solar farm as part of its...

NI veterinary school: 200 vets needed for Brexit checks
NI veterinary school: 200 vets needed for Brexit checks

Northern Ireland's vet shortage appears to be coming to a head as Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots warns as many as...

UFU rules out drive-in AGM for 2021
UFU rules out drive-in AGM for 2021

The Ulster Farmer's Union (UFU) is understood to have ruled out plans for another drive-in AGM, despite its success in...

Poots to boost Environment Fund Challenge by extra £2 million
Poots to boost Environment Fund Challenge by extra £2 million

Environment Minister Edwin Poots has announced a further £2 million will be made available for projects through the Environment Fund....

DAERA announces ‘digital poverty’ payments for CAFRE students
DAERA announces ‘digital poverty’ payments for CAFRE students

Students at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) are to be eligible for a share of a...

LMC and UFU join forces for 2021 Northern Ireland Beef Week
LMC and UFU join forces for 2021 Northern Ireland Beef Week

The Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) has teamed up with the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) to celebrate Northern Ireland’s world-class...

New EU Animal Health Law to have implications on NI BVD programme
New EU Animal Health Law to have implications on NI BVD programme

The EU's new Animal Health Law, which brings Bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) into legislation for the first time, will have...

DAERA customs infrastructure delay could cost public extra £300,000
DAERA customs infrastructure delay could cost public extra £300,000

Compensation paid to firms involved in the construction of DAERA customs infrastructure, as a result of delays starting the build,...

NI and ROI join European dairy resilience project
NI and ROI join European dairy resilience project

Both Northern Ireland and the Republic have joined an international research network which aims to make European dairy farms more...

Business plan completed for NI’s new bovine TB strategy
Business plan completed for NI’s new bovine TB strategy

Department officials have now completed work on the business case for Northern Ireland's new bovine TB strategy, with plans to...

RSPCA calls for higher animal welfare standards for public sector food
RSPCA calls for higher animal welfare standards for public sector food

The RSPCA is calling for UK Government Buying Standards to be overhauled to ensure food served in hospitals and schools...

Farm trials to investigate how seaweed could lower livestock emissions
Farm trials to investigate how seaweed could lower livestock emissions

Northern Ireland's first farm trials into the potential of seaweed to reduce emissions in dairy herds are set to begin...