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.

80,000 birds to be culled as H5N8 is confirmed in NI commercial flock
80,000 birds to be culled as H5N8 is confirmed in NI commercial flock

Northern Ireland’s chief vet has confirmed that highly-pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), subtype H5N8 has been found in a poultry flock...

Ag Committee chairman calls for support for food traders caught up in Brexit disruption
Ag Committee chairman calls for support for food traders caught up in Brexit disruption

Sinn Féin MLA Declan McAleer has called for freight companies and food importers to receive support to meet customs requirements...

Temporary Control Zone introduced following second suspected avian influenza outbreak
Temporary Control Zone introduced following second suspected avian influenza outbreak

Northern Ireland’s chief veterinary officer has introduced further heightened biosecurity measures following a second suspected outbreak of highly-pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI...

Avian influenza suspected on second NI poultry farm
Avian influenza suspected on second NI poultry farm

Cases of highly-pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI H5N8) are suspected on a second Northern Ireland poultry farm. It follows the suspicion...

DAERA launches index to measure NI public’s engagement with environment
DAERA launches index to measure NI public’s engagement with environment

Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Edwin Poots has announced the launch of a new index to measure the...

Researchers find food behaviour in UK and Ireland altered ‘significantly’ during Covid-19
Researchers find food behaviour in UK and Ireland altered ‘significantly’ during Covid-19

An international survey led by Queen’s University Belfast has found “significant” changes to eating patterns during the Covid-19 pandemic. Positive...

Minister Dodds calls for ‘urgent action’ as retailers pull deliveries to Northern Ireland
Minister Dodds calls for ‘urgent action’ as retailers pull deliveries to Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Economy Minister has written to Cabinet Office Secretary Michael Gove to call for “urgent action” to be taken...

DAERA port protocol outlines new measures for GB to NI agri-food traders
DAERA port protocol outlines new measures for GB to NI agri-food traders

Two guides published by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) aim to help traders navigate new procedures...

Northern Ireland arable conference moves online for 2021
Northern Ireland arable conference moves online for 2021

Major Northern Ireland arable conference, the Agronomy and Business Management Conference for Arable Growers, is set to go digital for 2021....

Latest accounts show 40% increase in profits at Skea Eggs
Latest accounts show 40% increase in profits at Skea Eggs

Co. Tyrone egg firm Skea Eggs has reported a 43% increase in profits compared to the year before with profit...

Bird cull zone introduced in NI following detection of Avian Influenza in commercial flock
Bird cull zone introduced in NI following detection of Avian Influenza in commercial flock

Northern Ireland’s chief veterinary officer Dr. Robert Huey has initiated disease control measures, including a bird cull zone, following suspicion...

DAERA to run EU Exit awareness event next week
DAERA to run EU Exit awareness event next week

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is encouraging agri-food businesses and traders to take part in its...

NIO advises farmers who bought sheep in Britain to resell them
NIO advises farmers who bought sheep in Britain to resell them

Government advice for Northern Ireland farmers to resell now-stranded sheep bought in other parts of the UK has been met...

Declassified files reveal fears axing headage payments would disproportionately affect Catholic farmers
Declassified files reveal fears axing headage payments would disproportionately affect Catholic farmers

Officials in Northern Ireland feared swapping headage payments for area-based payments would have a disproportionate impact on Catholic farmers, newly declassified...

Veteran NI agricultural broadcaster included on New Year Honours List
Veteran NI agricultural broadcaster included on New Year Honours List

Veteran Co. Down agricultural journalist and broadcaster Ian Harvey is to be awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year...

2020 NI Agricultural Census reflects challenging year for farming
2020 NI Agricultural Census reflects challenging year for farming

Most of the main agricultural sectors in Northern Ireland scaled back in 2020, reflecting a yet another challenging year for...

Declassified files: Have any lessons been learned from the ’90s ‘bread wars’?
Declassified files: Have any lessons been learned from the ’90s ‘bread wars’?

Cunning Irish bakers outwitted the authorities in the north, leaving officials powerless to protect domestic suppliers in so-called ‘bread wars’,...

Agri-food businesses join forces to deliver 100 Christmas dinners to Co. Down town
Agri-food businesses join forces to deliver 100 Christmas dinners to Co. Down town

It was a true field-to-fork effort as businesses from right across the agri-food chain joined forces to provide Christmas dinner...