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.

Farm census: 1,000 more farm jobs than 2016 and sheep make a comeback
Farm census: 1,000 more farm jobs than 2016 and sheep make a comeback

The number of agricultural people employed on farms in Northern Ireland increased by 2% over the last year, the latest...

Farm Modernisation Tier 1 offers £7.5 million for farm technology
Farm Modernisation Tier 1 offers £7.5 million for farm technology

The second round of Northern Ireland’s Farm Business Improvement Scheme Tier 1 grant will open for applications in the new...

Drones, clean energy and precision: Plans for UK’s farming future
Drones, clean energy and precision: Plans for UK’s farming future

Financial incentives for sustainable agriculture and efficient food production will become central to the UK’s farming future, according to the...

New dairy research aims to increase Irish industry competitiveness
New dairy research aims to increase Irish industry competitiveness

New research commissioned in Northern Ireland aims to give the Irish dairy industry a competitive edge in global markets and...

‘TB proposals cause serious concern – but difficult decisions must be made’
‘TB proposals cause serious concern – but difficult decisions must be made’

TB action is long over-due; but some of the measures proposed by the department are “seriously concerning”, the UFU’s deputy...

Farmers could pay for TB tests under range of radical proposals
Farmers could pay for TB tests under range of radical proposals

Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) today launched a public consultation on a range of proposals...

Northern Ireland TB rates surpass 12-year high
Northern Ireland TB rates surpass 12-year high

TB rates are continuing to spiral in Northern Ireland as the disease surpasses its worst rate in 12 years, according...

Father and sons avoid jail after baling and storing waste on their farm
Father and sons avoid jail after baling and storing waste on their farm

A father and his two sons from Co. Derry were given suspended prison sentences after more than 5,000t of waste...

Farmers raise hands to dig deep for charity’s biggest fundraiser
Farmers raise hands to dig deep for charity’s biggest fundraiser

A livestock auction organised by a Co. Armagh farmer has turned into a children’s heart charity’s biggest ever single fundraiser...

NI indepth: How a Dutch retail chain inspired NI Farm Quality Assurance
NI indepth: How a Dutch retail chain inspired NI Farm Quality Assurance

Trade tariffs, red tape and traceability concerns could make quality assurance programmes all the more important post-Brexit. But trade and...

‘Bounce back’ ability of Northern Ireland pig farmers ensuring industry’s survival
‘Bounce back’ ability of Northern Ireland pig farmers ensuring industry’s survival

Bigger litter sizes, better weaning rates and weights have helped the Northern Ireland pig industry ‘bounce back’. A combination of changes...

UFU joins forces with Fane Valley to reach 100th year £100,000 goal
UFU joins forces with Fane Valley to reach 100th year £100,000 goal

Northern Ireland’s farming union – the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) – has teamed up with Fane Valley to reach its...

Curry: ‘Be efficient, add value or diversify – or struggle to survive’
Curry: ‘Be efficient, add value or diversify – or struggle to survive’

Many of the challenges facing farmers in the Brexit age are the same as 15 years ago, the author of...

Farm research body returns industry investment 22 times over
Farm research body returns industry investment 22 times over

Farmer-funded research and development organisation AgriSearch has helped to deliver research worth over £170 million to Northern Ireland’s ruminant livestock...

‘Super pest’ moth now capable of surviving British and Irish winter
‘Super pest’ moth now capable of surviving British and Irish winter

A ‘super pest’ moth which is already resistant to a class of common plant protection is now also capable of...

Hundreds of sheep suspected stolen in the ‘Mourne’ county
Hundreds of sheep suspected stolen in the ‘Mourne’ county

Hundreds of sheep are thought to have been stolen from a farm in south Co. Down. The sheep went missing...

Farmer fined after vet had to put down animals during inspection
Farmer fined after vet had to put down animals during inspection

A Co. Down farmer has been fined more than £5,000 after a vet had to euthanise a cow, a sheep and...

Aggressive lettuce disease Fusarium wilt spotted in UK for the first time
Aggressive lettuce disease Fusarium wilt spotted in UK for the first time

Lettuce growers have been urged to look out for Fusarium wilt and root rot after an outbreak of the aggressive...