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.

Advertising Standards rule against vegans’ pork medallions complaint
Advertising Standards rule against vegans’ pork medallions complaint

A complaint made by vegan group Viva! regarding the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) ‘Pork Midweek Meals’ campaign has been...

200 new entrants join Lakeland in last half-decade
200 new entrants join Lakeland in last half-decade

Around 200 farmers new to dairying joined the island’s second largest dairy co-operative over the last five years. The figure...

Mash Direct strikes Waitrose deal on 14th birthday
Mash Direct strikes Waitrose deal on 14th birthday

Comber-based farm, Mash Direct, has landed a new deal to supply one of the UK’s biggest supermarket chains with its...

Operating profit more than doubles at Lakeland Dairies in 2017
Operating profit more than doubles at Lakeland Dairies in 2017

Profits at Lakeland Dairies – one of the island’s largest milk processors – have more than doubled in just a...

Milk and bakery job losses at Armagh firm Linwoods
Milk and bakery job losses at Armagh firm Linwoods

Around 90 jobs are to go across the milk and bakery divisions of Armagh-based food firm Linwoods. The company began...

Milk and bakery job losses at Armagh firm Linwoods
Milk and bakery job losses at Armagh firm Linwoods

Around 90 jobs are to go across the milk and bakery divisions of Armagh-based food firm Linwoods. The company began...

Chief vet urges farmers to respond to live export consultation
Chief vet urges farmers to respond to live export consultation

Northern Ireland’s chief veterinary officer Robert Huey has urged the industry to respond to a UK-wide review on the live...

Chief vet urges farmers to respond to live export consultation
Chief vet urges farmers to respond to live export consultation

Northern Ireland’s chief veterinary officer Robert Huey has urged the industry to respond to a UK-wide review on the live...

3-crop rule could tighten barley seed supplies
3-crop rule could tighten barley seed supplies

Arable farmers in Northern Ireland say they are running out of options to allow them to comply with the ‘three-crop...

Under review: UK’s live export ban comes one step closer
Under review: UK’s live export ban comes one step closer

A consultation has been launched on the effects of a potential ban on the live export of animals for slaughter...

NI safety figures make grim reading
NI safety figures make grim reading

A new draft corporate plan launched by Northern Ireland’s Health and Safety Executive (HSENI) has highlighted the grisly reality of...

Centenary dinner and calendar raise £31,000 for air ambulance
Centenary dinner and calendar raise £31,000 for air ambulance

The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has raised over £21,000 for Air Ambulance NI at its annual dinner – a figure...

Grass event to help sheep farmers ‘play catch up’ on a late season
Grass event to help sheep farmers ‘play catch up’ on a late season

As fodder supplies become scarce across the country, playing ‘catch up’ once grass starts to grow will be more important...

Supermarket’s local produce sales up 8%
Supermarket’s local produce sales up 8%

Sales of locally produced food in Asda’s Northern Ireland stores grew by 8% in 2017, proving that customers are actively...

Dungiven dairy farmer ‘fed up’ of red tape to move to Canada
Dungiven dairy farmer ‘fed up’ of red tape to move to Canada

Red tape and poor prospects for the region’s farming future has pushed a Dungiven farmer and his family to start...

Balmoral traffic woes could be history as M1 link is back on the table
Balmoral traffic woes could be history as M1 link is back on the table

Plans for a motorway slip road are far from off the agenda for Balmoral, according to new Royal Ulster Agricultural...

Fodder in the North: ‘Not a crisis – but it’s not far off one’
Fodder in the North: ‘Not a crisis – but it’s not far off one’

As their southern counterparts are declaring a crisis, farmers in Northern Ireland are still giving mixed reports on their fodder...

Jaegerbomb: Society weighing up changes
Jaegerbomb: Society weighing up changes

The possibility of policy changes in the wake of the Jaegerbomb saga is set to come under discussion at the...