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.

Poots announces new Brucellosis protocol for Northern Ireland
Poots announces new Brucellosis protocol for Northern Ireland

A new surveillance protocol for Brucellosis will benefit farmers and industry, Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots has said. The revised surveillance...

NI ‘one of Europe’s highest uptakes’ as World School Milk Day celebrates 20 years
NI ‘one of Europe’s highest uptakes’ as World School Milk Day celebrates 20 years

School milk schemes in Northern Ireland last year slurped up almost one million litres of the white stuff, according to...

Poots announces £645,000 of additional funding for NI environmental projects
Poots announces £645,000 of additional funding for NI environmental projects

An additional £645,000 will be made available for environmental projects across Northern Ireland, the region’s Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister...

Beef and Lamb to take place behind closed doors
Beef and Lamb to take place behind closed doors

It might be one of the few agricultural shows to proceed this year but The Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS)...

Antrim farmer goes viral with agri-spec gallery during Irish Open
Antrim farmer goes viral with agri-spec gallery during Irish Open

A Co. Antrim farmer and his cows had front row seats at the 2020 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, while...

Payments for NI’s £18 million Covid-19 farm support fund to begin today
Payments for NI’s £18 million Covid-19 farm support fund to begin today

Payments for Northern Ireland’s £18 million Covid-19 farm support fund are set to begin today (Monday, September 28). More than 11,000...

UFU and Holstein NI join forces on call for change to milk pricing
UFU and Holstein NI join forces on call for change to milk pricing

Holstein Northern Ireland has backed calls from the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) for processors to consider forward pricing for milk....

Bereaved mum turned trailer campaigner to speak out in farm safety webinar
Bereaved mum turned trailer campaigner to speak out in farm safety webinar

A woman whose 19-year-old son was killed by a grain trailer with faulty brakes is to speak at a farm...

Independent review issues ‘red status’ on DAERA’s Brexit preparations
Independent review issues ‘red status’ on DAERA’s Brexit preparations

An independent review of DAERA’s Brexit preparations has issued a ‘red status’ warning over the region’s preparedness. The external review of...

Increase in beef bulls on dairy farms drives NI’s increase in beef-sired calves
Increase in beef bulls on dairy farms drives NI’s increase in beef-sired calves

Figures show more Northern Ireland dairy farmers are choosing to serve cows with beef bulls again as the number of beef-sired...

‘Entirely illogical’: Poots defends decision to intervene over SES ammonia limits
‘Entirely illogical’: Poots defends decision to intervene over SES ammonia limits

Minister Poots has defended his decision to intervene over agricultural planning issues in Northern Ireland. Shared Environmental Services (SES), a...

Country girl launches campaign for government to fund NI’s air ambulance
Country girl launches campaign for government to fund NI’s air ambulance

A friend of teenager Ellie McDonnell, who was rescued by Northern Ireland’s Air Ambulance but sadly passed away a year...

‘Don’t get caught out by bulls’ HSENI warns farmers
‘Don’t get caught out by bulls’ HSENI warns farmers

Northern Ireland’s Health and Safety Executive (HSENI) has launched its second Farm Safe Essential message, which urges farmers not to...

PM’s indoors events ban a ‘real blow’ for winter agricultural shows
PM’s indoors events ban a ‘real blow’ for winter agricultural shows

Winter agricultural shows across the UK have been put under doubt as Prime Minister Boris Johnson today warned a ban on conferences...

Researchers claim enriched poultry products could meet global demand for omega-3
Researchers claim enriched poultry products could meet global demand for omega-3

New research has proved consuming omega-3 enriched chicken and eggs can help combat one of world’s main health problems, high...

Milk price round-up: What are processors paying for NI’s August milk?
Milk price round-up: What are processors paying for NI’s August milk?

Northern Ireland dairy processors have continued positive trends with their milk prices for August despite concerns of further Covid-linked market...

NI Agriculture Minister weighs in on Irish Beef PGI
NI Agriculture Minister weighs in on Irish Beef PGI

NI Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots has weighed in over concern Northern Irish farmers have been excluded from a new, proposed...

Agri-business leader honoured with IoD award
Agri-business leader honoured with IoD award

Co. Tyrone agri-business leader Glenn Speer was among those honoured at the annual Institute of Directors Northern Ireland (IoD NI)...