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.

United Feeds appoints 3 new staff to ruminant nutrition team
United Feeds appoints 3 new staff to ruminant nutrition team

Northern Ireland agricultural feed firm United Feeds has taken on three new members of staff to bolster its ruminant nutrition...

Soil health: ‘The most valuable tool on your farm is your spade’
Soil health: ‘The most valuable tool on your farm is your spade’

‘Soil health’ is a term coming up more and more frequently among farmers, growers, agronomists and researchers, but what does...

No promises over post-Brexit labels for food imports in NI
No promises over post-Brexit labels for food imports in NI

Northern Ireland Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots has indicated he will not push for increased food labelling to differentiate food imports...

Farmers urged to give views on NI’s Rural Needs Act
Farmers urged to give views on NI’s Rural Needs Act

Farmers and agricultural groups in Northern Ireland have been urged to have their say on the Rural Needs Act consultation....

Foodservice likely to be NI’s weak link in cheap imports threat
Foodservice likely to be NI’s weak link in cheap imports threat

Foodservice buyers are likely to pose more of a risk to domestic food standards post-Brexit than supermarkets, according to Northern...

Report: 60% of global population worries about food safety
Report: 60% of global population worries about food safety

An international study on the global food safety has revealed more than half the world’s population (60%) worry about the...

Police appeal for witnesses after teenager’s car collides with cow
Police appeal for witnesses after teenager’s car collides with cow

Police are appealing for witnesses after a teenage motorist died after he crashed his car into a cow near Moira,...

NIFDA chairman lays out 3 ‘critical asks’ for post-Brexit support
NIFDA chairman lays out 3 ‘critical asks’ for post-Brexit support

Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association (NIFDA) chairman Nick Whelan stressed the need for politicians to work with farmers and...

Farm group threatens legal action following Agriculture Bill vote
Farm group threatens legal action following Agriculture Bill vote

Agricultural lobby group Farmers For Action (FFA) has warned farmers could take legal action should future UK trade deals undermine...

NI Agriculture Committee ‘asked to rubber-stamp’ Brexit legislation without scrutiny
NI Agriculture Committee ‘asked to rubber-stamp’ Brexit legislation without scrutiny

The Northern Ireland Assembly is being asked to “rubber-stamp” legislation relating to agricultural issues after Brexit without even having access...

Poots opens £1.6 million ornamental horticulture support scheme
Poots opens £1.6 million ornamental horticulture support scheme

A financial support scheme to help Northern Ireland ornamental horticulture growers with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has opened...

NI farmers least likely in UK to want to retire
NI farmers least likely in UK to want to retire

Fewer than one in seven Northern Ireland farmers plan on fully retiring and many do not discuss their later life...

Echlinville Distillery announces £9 million expansion plan
Echlinville Distillery announces £9 million expansion plan

Northern Ireland’s only single-estate distillery has announced a £9 million expansion plan as it expands its facilities in the Ards Peninsula...

CAFRE to host virtual open days as NI ramps up Covid measures
CAFRE to host virtual open days as NI ramps up Covid measures

Northern Ireland’s College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) has announced plans to run a series of virtual open...

Cost of farm fires up by £1 million in Northern Ireland
Cost of farm fires up by £1 million in Northern Ireland

Rural insurer NFU Mutual is urging farmers to check their fire precautions and have emergency plans in place, as the...

LMC launches 8-week ‘Truth About Beef’ campaign
LMC launches 8-week ‘Truth About Beef’ campaign

The Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) has this week launched a new campaign to highlight the environmental and health credentials of...

Lapsers: Social influencers to blame as 26% plan to reduce red meat consumption
Lapsers: Social influencers to blame as 26% plan to reduce red meat consumption

More than one in four Northern Ireland adults say they plan to eat less red meat because of social media...

TB: 863 new breakdowns in NI in first half of 2020
TB: 863 new breakdowns in NI in first half of 2020

More than 800 livestock farms across Northern Ireland which had an animal test positive for bovine TB in the first...